Flowers
by DojomistressAmbyChan
Summary: After the 4th Shinobi war Tsunade throws a Masquerade ball where people not only dress up but henge, Sakura meets and starts to fall for someone she never expected.  Saku/Ino Yuri, will eventually be mature.
1. Seedling

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.

Author's note: I've been sitting on this and two other ideas for a while and I've had the first part sitting in my documents for the last month or so. I want to write more but I wanna know if people would even want to read it so I'm throwing my first chapters up and seeing what people think. I don't need a huge review saying how good it is or you love it or you hate it and think I'm stupid for making such a crack pairing. If just one or two people say, I would like you to continue I would be happy. BTW please don't asked for scheduled updates, I have two part time jobs, do freelance art stuff and go to college part time so it's uncertain. That and I work better when the mood hits me so don't be mad, but I'll try not to go more then a month without an update (I'm hoping that'd be an extreme case). Otherwise please enjoy! It's been a few years so I may be rusty.

Flowers

Ch.1 Seedling

"Excuse me? I think I heard you wrong." Sakura looked on with a mix of shock and confusion.

"What? I thought it was fairly clever," said Tsunade not seeing the same oddness her apprentice was seeing with her idea.

"A shinobi masquerade ball, but we don't just dress up, we henge?" This seemed like one of her shishou's more eccentric ideas.

"Come on, even if we dress up with all the costumes and makeup out there we're all shinobi and we'd be able to figure out who the other is. The whole fun of a masquerade ball is everyone is a stranger and mysterious meetings and dancings with strangers seems rather romatic don't you think," Tsunade asked looking a little wistful like she was remembering something from long ago.

"Shishou...even so there will be people who can figure others out regardless. The Inuzuka's can easily detect a person by their scent, the byakugan can see through any henge, I mean over all it's kind of pointless isn't it?"

"Sakura, you didn't used to be so pessimistic." Sakura had to clamp her mouth shut and averted her eyes slightly embarrassed. No, she didn't used to be but a lot of things had happened and she had changed.

The fourth great ninja war had finally ended, the entire shinobi world had come together to face what seemed like an invincible enemy and though worn and bleeding, they had stood victorious at the end. It's not to say the whole world was at peace or there were no casualties but bonds between friendly countries were stronger then ever and those with strained ties weren't so strained. And Naruto had come out victorious, not just for Konoha or the world, but also for jinchuriki.

He created a worldwide treaty outlining the care given to the treatment of jinchuuriki. Unfortunately the first seven tailed beasts were too strong to just dispose of and had to be sealed once again in infants. But with this treaty all countries agreed to normal treatment of the child, no cruelty or abuse or the child would be removed from the country and even war could be declared. This happened while all the countries were still united under the same truce that helped them defeat Uchiha Madara. It was also then that the five great nations decided to divide a tailed beast to each of the nations and the other two would go to Konoha and one of the lesser nations (they eventually agreed on waterfall). This had come after a huge announcement from once again Naruto, the world's most surprising ninja. He said Konoha would need a bijuu because even though he was a shinobi of Konoha, he was one of the last of the Uzumaki, one of the last people of the fallen country of whirlpool, and his dreams had switched from becoming the hokage to becoming the uzumage (a word she was sure he made up on the fly), and reestablish the country of whirlpool.

Since he had found out of his parents and his heritage he felt tied to his mothers lost home and heritage and felt it still had a chance and didn't have to die out. So with the hokage's permission he was still a konoha shinobi taking missions as such but he was saving and gaining support and followers to create a new nation of whirlpool in the ruins of the old. That meant gaining financial backing, followers (people who would come with him), and especially bloodlines. Konoha was one of the most powerful shinobi villages because of the many families with bloodline abilities, most ninja villages were graced with only half a dozen. Konoha had at least that many in her graduating genin class. Things seemed so bright, but that's because they had already been their darkest.

They had lost Sasuke...they had also almost lost Naruto. Sasuke had been too driven by revenge his whole life when he found out he had gotten revenge on the wrong person, he snapped and was broken beyond repair. Even in the end they tried to reach out to him, but it almost cost Naruto his life, if Sakura hadn't been pessimistic, if she hadn't prepared for the worst, she wouldn't have brought enough chakra pills to power her for a week, which was about what it took to heal Naruto to drag him from the brink of death. Even though she admitted she no longer loved him, when Sasuke died, it still hurt. Even her crush aside, she saw his pain, and even if she couldn't comprehend it all she wanted to help, and knowing she wasn't strong enough to help...it made her feel weak and useless like when they were genin. So much had happened...

"Gomen, shishou." Tsunade sighed and rested her chin in her hand.

"Sakura I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. This is supposed to be a celebration. We're asking people not to use their bloodline limits, though we can't force them not to. It's just for fun. I mean we even have people from Sand, Waterfall, and Water countries comming. Just try to have fun, as of right now there are no imminent threats and before you say anything that doesn't mean our guard is lowered. With people from foreign countries we do have extra guards. Sakura since you've been a genin it seemed like war was imminent, which it was, and it did happen and you made it through alive. Now is a time of peace, of celebration, of life."

"Shishou you're not usually one to give speeches like this." Not that she couldn't be kind, but she wasn't usually one to give her perspectives on life.

"Sakura, I'm saying that I lost a lot of my youth running from place to place, I learned a lot of jutsus and I learned a lot about life, but I also lost out on a lot. I believed I could never love again after Dan, and I gave up on any dreams of a family or a place to belong. By the time I found myself again it was too late. I'm not telling you to go out, get married, and start a family. What I am saying is you should take a breather, look around you, and enjoy what you fought so hard for." Her head down, Sakura seriously thought over her words and took a deep breath before meeting her eyes again.

"Hai, shishou, I'll see you Friday then. Or rather I probably won't, right?" Tsunade smiled feeling like she finally had gotten through to her apprentice.

"Have fun Sakura, I know I will." With that she turned in her chair to look out the window in a way dismissing Sakura. She left the room and instead of taking the rooftops back to her apartment like she always did, she decided to take a walk back on the streets. The war ended only 4 months ago and they were still rebuilding some places destroyed in the war, but with Yamato's help they were almost complete. Even then it had only been a month since Naruto declared his intentions about rebuilding Whirlpool. 'I think it might have been because of her...Hinata.'

He was really happy, Hinata had finally confessed to Naruto during the fight with Pein, she had almost lost her life, but she had fought for her most important person and told him so. It was almost a month after that before they actually saw each other again and even though Hinata was shy she didn't back down. Naruto didn't know what to do with himself, but he didn't reject her and they'd been together ever since. A lot of people were actually worried she was jealous, but with everything that had happened to Naruto she was glad he finally had someone to walk by his side always. She could walk with him as a friend and a teammate but she never saw herself as someone who would be with him in that aspect.

It was the fact that the Hyuuga's announced their branch house would be moving to whirlpool under the guidance of Hinata that made her think she may have given him the final push to go for his dreams. 'His dreams...' That was one thing that struck her while her shishou was making her speech. 'What do I want now?' Back during the war there were so many things she wanted, she wanted to save Sasuke, she wanted to defeat Madara, she wanted to protect Konoha. But now that she had all of that, 'what do I want?' When she was a genin she wanted to marry Sasuke and start a family, but now she didn't know if she wanted to get married or have a family or anything like that. 'Though...I don't want to be alone.' She thought back to Tsunade and how she said she had lost out on so many things. 'I...would like to find someone. Someone to share my life with.' She sighed and closed her eyes when a familiar scent hit her nose. 'Flowers?' It was then she noticed the Yamanaka flower shop. It had been so long since she'd just walked home that she didn't realize Ino's family flower shop was on the way. 'Speaking of which, how long has it been since I've seen Ino?' They'd fought and healed together during the war. Both of them being medic nin they saw a lot of each other on the field when they set up make shift medical tents, but since the war they'd only seen each other a few times. Though they no longer fought like when they were kids they weren't as close as they used to be. 'Maybe, that's something I should change.' With that in mind she stepped into the flower shop.

"Welcome, can we help you find something," came a call from the register, "Sakura!" Sure enough Ino was managing the register and she seemed shocked to see Sakura come in.

"Hey Ino, how have you been?"

"Not too bad, been working a lot since mom's still not able to get around yet."

"You're mom? But you're moms not a ninja." Ino actually giggled at that.

"No she's not but she's a volunteer with the emergency teams. When they were evacuating civilians to a shelter a building collapsed." Sakura gasped. "Oh don't worry she'll be ok, but she broke her hip. She's still healing and then with physical therapy," she trailed off. "Well I don't have to tell you, you know it'll be a while before she's up and running again."

"Sorry I didn't hear anything about it."

"It's fine, it's fine. I've hear about all the different things going on with your team so it's not surprising you didn't hear about something small like this."

"Still...Anyway, make sure you tell her I hope she gets better."

"Ah she'll be surprised but happy. Ah not to cut this short, but did you need something? I'm not trying to sound mean but you usually only visit when someone's in the hospital so..."

"Huh? Oh no! Nothing like that, it's just...I had a conversation with Tsunade and she had me thinking about a lot of things and...I felt like I needed to stop in."

"Huh? Things like what? Is something starting up again?"

"No, no, you're misunderstanding. It's...a long story." Ino hmmmmed.

"Well you know the shop closes up in 3 hours, if you wanted to talk we could meet somewhere. It's been a while since we've been able to talk." For the first time since she entered the store Sakura gave a smile, a real smile and it kind of took Ino aback. 'When was the last time I saw Sakura smile like that?'

"Would you mind if we met at my apartment? I just...I don't want to talk about some of these things in public. Kind of personal you know," she said with a light blush on her face.

"Ah, I can't." Sakura looked shocked. 'Is she rejecting my invite?'

"Huh? Why not?" Ino gave her a goofy grin.

"When you moved out I never got your new address. I have no idea where you live goofball."

"Ah! Seriously? Do you have some paper?" Ino pulled a post it off of the counter and handed it to her. Sakura not only printed the address but also made a mini map on the other side.

"So if the shop closes at 7 should I expect you at like 7:30?"

"Yeah sure, sometime around then. It's not an exact time since I don't know how long it'll take to close up. But that's not a problem is it?"

"Ah no, but I wanted to clean up a little first so..." She avoided meeting Ino's gaze.

"Ah I knew it, you're still just as messy as when you lived at home," Ino teased.

"No I'm not! I just need to pick up a few things," she said embarrassed as Ino had hit the nail on the head. "Anyway, I'll see you tonight."

"Sure, bye Sakura," she called as Sakura tried not to hurry out the door, determined not to let Ino see how messy her apartment was.

It was a little over three hours later and Sakura was exhausted. She stopped at a store on the way home to make some kind of meal and grab some tea before running home and cleaning like Tsunade was coming to inspect it. Not to mention making dinner, she wanted to take a bath but settled on a quick shower instead and felt awkward waiting for Ino to arrive. 'Has it seriously been that long since I've had someone come over just to visit?' Visits with her teammates didn't count because they usually just randomly stopped by and made themselves at home, and left the same way. She was a bit startled then when she actually heard a knock at the door instead of someone just randomly inviting themselves in via the window. She went and opened the door and sure enough there was Ino.

"Hey Ino, come in," she said backing away from the door so she could take her shoes off.

"Thanks for having me over," she said as she made her way inside. She whistled as she looked around the apartment.

"Wow nice, and it's even clean."

"Of course it's clean," Sakura said slightly annoyed.

"Hehe, juts kidding with you. Hey what's that smell," she said as she closed her eyes and sniffed the air."

"Ah I'm making a baked chicken and noodle dish, it should be done in about another five minutes. Don't worry I made enough for both of us."

"You cooked for me?"

"Well if you're coming right from work I figured you'd be hungry so the least I could do was make you some dinner too." Ino did something that she hadn't done since they were kids, she came up behidn her and hugged her.

"Aww Sakura chan, if you make dinner for me when I come home from work every night I may have to marry you," she said joking, and it worked as Sakura giggled.

"If that's all it takes to get you to marry someone you must have been dating some bad cooks up until now."

"Come on Sakura you're the same as me aren't you? Who had time for dating during a war?" She let go and walked over to Sakura's traditional low dinner table and sat on a pillow on one side. "Hell it's still hard to believe it's over isn't it?" It struck a cord in Sakura as she realized she wasn't the only one still getting over it.

"Yeah, I know." She heard the timer go off and went to get the food before setting it on the table. They ate in comfortable silence, basking in the others presence, just enjoying being together in a relaxed state instead of constant alert like the interactions they'd had over the last two years. Sakura cleaned up and brought out tea for them to sip on though it was Sakura who spoke up first.

"That's what Tsunade and I were talking about today."

"What? The war?"

"No, the end of the war. I had so many goals and things I had to do when we were at war, I needed to get stronger, heal faster, make my charkra reserves larger. But now...what?"

"What? You mean, where do we go from here?"

"Yeah, when I look back at all the things I wanted when we were genin, I either accomplish my goal or they changed. I mean I wanted to become a chunin, marry Sasuke and start a family," she said noticing Ino's eyes dim a little as well at his name. "Now, I am a chunin, but I have no idea if I want to get married or start a family. Hell, Naruto wants to rebuild whirlpool and I know it's only a matter of time before he offers me a job at the hospital they plan on building there. Well maybe a doctors office first before a hospital, but you get the point. He's my friend and my teammate but I don't know if I actually want to go. It's like..."

"You have no direction and you can't even figure out _what_ you want let alone what to do?" Sakura and her locked eyes over the table.

"So...I'm not the only one."

"Hell no, you don't know how many times Shikamaru, Choji, and I sit around babbling about the absolute nothing that happened this week or that and just sit there in silence. Shikamaru said this happens a lot to soldiers after a war, which is why Tsunade's having that dance this Friday."

"I'm a bit relieved to know I'm not the only one. Though Tsunade gave me some good advice today, which is why I went to you're store."

"Hmm, what did she say to get you to talk to me?"

"She just told me about how she missed out on so many things in life because she ran away and by the time she stopped to look at what she had where she was she couldn't have them."

"She was talking about having a family right?" Sakura was a bit surprised but she guessed by the way she worded it, it had to be taken like that.

"Something like that. Though she straight out told me she wasn't telling me to get married and have a family, but I should look around and find the things important in my life and make sure I don't miss out. I decided to walk home and came across your shop and I just thought back to when we were kids and...I thought it was important," she blushed as her voice softened. "I thought it was important to try and be friends again. We're not enemies, we haven't been since we both became medic nins but we also haven't really been close friends. So that's why I went in." There was a moment of silence where Ino had her eyes closed and Sakura was wondering what she was thinking, but then Ino smiled.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me. At times during the war, when it got really bad, I liked to think back to those times. Things were simple and our biggest worries were not getting caught by Iruka sensei." There was another moment of silence when Ino stretched and laid on her back on the floor staring at the ceiling. "So what have you been doing since the war ended?"

"Hmmm, I wonder? Mostly working in the hospital, though when I'm not I'm helping Tsunade-shishou with paperwork trying to get the village back together, though that's become lighter recently. Do you think I should take up a hobby?" Sakura also laid out on the ground staring at the ceiling.

"I've been helping out a lot at my shop but I also put in some hours at the hospital, though I think I'm more physicals and patient visits while you're more trauma, right?"

"Yeah, usually, that would explain why I haven't see you much even though we both work there."

"Aside from that I've been helping my family a lot. That last war, we almost lost so much."

"Your family?"

"Not just my family, the whole village. If we'd lost, there'd be no Konoha, no five great nations, we were so close to losing everything."

"But we didn't," Sakura said firmly turning her head to stare at Ino even with the table between them.

"I know that, and you know that. But it shook my dad a bit, I mean it's a bit different for us then you."

"How," Sakura asked though she sounded slightly annoyed. Ino sighed and looked over meeting Sakura's eyes.

"I didn't mean to imply anything, to me I don't think it's very important but my dad..." She sighed and turned her head back to look at the ceiling. "He's been pressuring me to date, and maybe see some guys. I'm only 17 so I don't think he's trying to marry me off, but the thing is with my uncle dead and my mom can't have more kids, he's worried about the bloodline. Then Naruto wants to start whirlpool and he's worried about our family. I mean Shikamaru's in the same boat. But Choji, Shino, Kiba, they all have lots of relatives so even if they don't get married and have a family it's not like they have to worry about their bloodline. Lucky pricks."

"Seriously? I didn't think you're dad was ever one of those kinds of guys to worry about clan 'breeding' and such."

"He wasn't, but I think the war changed him a bit. But it's not that big a deal he's just trying to push me to date more so I can just blow it off for now. Speaking of which though, you're going to be at the party Friday right?"

"Of course, shishou would kill me if I wasn't." She made a sour face at that.

"Sakura, just have fun. For one night, be a random person and meet other random people and have fun. For one night don't be Sakura, just be...a flower floating on the wind."

"Ino...?" Ino continued staring straight ahead. "...cheesy," she said giggling. Ino pulled the pillow out from under her butt and tossed it at her over the table.

"Fine see if I try to be poetic again." Sakura quieted her giggles but kept smiling, Ino turned to smile as well and they extended their hands until they clasped each others under the table and looked back at the ceiling just enjoying each others company. Both of their minds going back to that summer their friendship started, holding hands on the grassy hill watching the clouds go by, with flower petals fluttering all over them.


	2. Stirring

AN: Sorry it took so long to update. I had finals and then I had to take a break, I tried writing right after but it wasn't coming out right. I still don't know if the end came out how I wanted it since it's like 2 in the morning but I think I got what I wanted across. The first chapter was kind of a perspective on how Sakura's life was going and what she has on her plate. This one is more Ino focused and starts pushing at the main plot. I hope it was worth the wait and I appreciate everyone who reviewed the first chapter, I was overwhelmed at how many people were interested. I hope I live up to your expectations, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.

Chapter 2: Stirring

The clock slowly ticked away the minutes turned hours, counting the daylight left and the time left before her shift was up, her mother was closing today. Ino brushed some hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear as she bent over to set down another flower pot with a seedling poking barely out of the rich dirt. Another few weeks and it'd have a flower that would bloom, this was going to be a stargazer lilly. All that poked out from the dirt was a few small bits of green but she already knew what it would be, how long it would grow, and what was to become of it. 'Sometimes I feel sorry for the flowers, they're trapped from the time they start to grow. They can only become what they are and there's no way to change them. I wish...I had a way to change that...' "Baka," she chastised herself.

She wiped her hands of dirt and went back to the front to straighten up and stock any flowers they'd sold that day. It had only been two days since Sakura had unexpectedly made her way back into her life but already she was stirring up some of Ino's already swirling and confused feelings. Ino only let people see what they wanted to see when it came to her. If people knew the truth about her she knew some people wouldn't care, but the people who mattered most...

Sakura had done nothing wrong by asking Ino to be her friend again, and she was ecstatic that she could get her friend back, but at the same time it stirred up certain emotions that she didn't know what to make of. Though deep down she wanted to take it as a sign, a sign to stop being a fake and finally be herself. Like the flowers she cared for she felt she couldn't be anything other then what she was, even if that meant in the end, she could give her father and family no heirs. Sakura wasn't just Ino's first friend, she was her first crush. They were only 6 when they met and became friends and even if she didn't understand it then, when she got older she finally realized she had a crush on Sakura when they were kids. When Sakura said she liked Sasuke it hurt, it hurt a lot and she didn't know why. And she wanted to make Sakura hurt just as bad, so she said she liked Sasuke and she would take him from her. If she couldn't have Sakura then Sakura couldn't have Sasuke. It was completely childish. 'Then again we were children.' Though Sakura was only the first part in a long line of confusion.

Her next crush had been a complete surprise and though it didn't last long it started her questioning herself. Her next crush had been Shizune-san, one of Tsunade's other apprentices. Since she and Sakura were both apprenticing under Tsunade and Shizune was her right hand woman they saw each other often enough. This time though she began noticing her appreciation for the other woman's 'assets.' It caught her completely off guard and for a while it interfered with her training to the point she had to take a break.

She'd been through kunoichi training and it was said sometimes girls go through phases like that and she thought maybe it was just because she admired her so much and she was only 14 and hormones can mess with you. Self delusion didn't help though when she was on a mission to water, she was to infiltrate an under age party held by some chunins and get some information on the whereabouts of a missing leaf chunin (who in the end wasn't captured and hadn't ran away but merely eloped with his girlfriend -a civilian from water-). Though during her investigation this tall, tan, woman with long black hair and ocean blue eyes approached her and started hitting on her; and god help her she couldn't deny she liked it, or liked the way she played with her hair, or how her lips felt so good on hers. It didn't get farther then that, she couldn't let it. Doing that would confirm this wasn't a phase or some hormones, and she couldn't deal with that. Not with war just on the horizon. After that there'd been no time to think over such things.

It was just missions, healing, and trying to live from day to day. It was freeing in that she didn't have to think beyond what was right in front of her and she didn't have to wonder over the details of her life and why when she did go on dates with guys she couldn't find any of them interesting. Or when a guy held her hand and put his arm around her she wasn't excited and didn't want to get closer to him. The war was over and now her dad was on this kick about her dating and producing some heirs. Some deep part of her worried if it was because maybe her dad had noticed what she was noticing and he had already made a decision on her preference. And then when she was trying to figure out what to do about her feelings, and Sakura just comes back into her life again.

'I was wanting some kind of sign, but can this really be it?' Being with Sakura again that night, everything had felt so right. Even though her crush on her had been when they were kids she had always found Sakura attractive, and when they were sitting around talking and joking, and when Sakura held her hand...She felt a slight color come to her face and smiled. Everything just seemed right, like Sakura's warm hand drove away any worries or fears or doubts in her mind and she thought 'this is what I want.' Maybe not Sakura specifically, but someone she could feel comfortable with and be close to. Unfortunately her dad wanted heirs and she wasn't sure if she was ready to fight that battle yet. But she'd already survived one war, she was sure she could get through another, but for now, she was finally shrugging off the denial and taking a look at who she was. She was taking a small step forward and that first step would come in just another few days, on the night of the masquerade.

She looked back up at the clock and smiled as the time seemed to fly by and come five she was out of work and to meet Sakura for dinner at a restaurant. It was just a friendly thing, and she wouldn't let it be anything else, not yet. It's not like she saw Sakura and fell in love at first sight, but for the first time since she'd been a kid she felt something inside her stir when she and Sakura held hands under the table. She'd asked for a sign and all signs pointed, to Sakura. If anyone was worth trying for, it was her. So come this Friday she was going to see if she could get Sakura to look her direction.

"Ino, are you out here," came her Mother's voice from near the register.

"Yeah mom here," she said finishing moving a pot with a small cactus in it and walking back towards the register.

"You're meeting Sakura tonight right, why don't you take off early?"

"Huh? But I still have a half hour, you sure that's ok?" Her mom waved her off smiling.

"It's fine, I'm just happy you two are becoming friends again, you two were so close it was sad when you stopped being friends all over some boy. Go on, I don't mind it's not like I can't handle the shop on my own." Her mom had been extremely excited when she heard they were rekindling their friendship and had been pushing Ino to hang out with her more. Though Ino thought this might be because Sakura would be the only real female friend she'd had since she was a kid, and she might be a good influence on her. But regardless of what her mom thought, she'd take what she could get. So she went out the backdoor passed her parents house to the small apartment complex on the corner of the street. Much like Sakura she had moved out after her mother's many fits of being woken up at 4 in the morning for missions. Her team had no problem entering silently to get her but she always woke up loudly when she woke from a deep sleep. But being she worked at her family's shop often enough she ended up living in the nearby apartment complex even though they were a bit small. She rushed up the stairs to get a shower in before meeting up with Sakura. Tonight she'd go fishing for information on Sakura. If Sakura already liked someone or was completely disgusted by the idea she wouldn't push something like this on her friend. This was a big step for her, and even though they were just meeting for dinner she couldn't help shake her nerves as she pulled on some capri's with a white tank top and blue shirt over top. She finished with some light make-up and pulling her hair in a loose pony tail before checking to see it was only just four thirty and she had a half hour before they were to meet up. 'It's close enough to the park I could take a quick stroll before then.'

She locked up her apartment, grabbed her wallet and went out enjoying the breeze bringing some cool to the heat of the late afternoon. 'Summer is always nice, but it gets so hot.' She made her way to the park and made her way to one of her favorite spots under a certain tree. She spotted it in the distance as she left the pathed path and made her way to the small Sakura tree that had already finished blooming for the year and was bare of flowers, but still full of life. It had been planted some time after the attack from Sand when they were only genin, she'd watched it grow in the last 6 years, it wasn't as big as some of the other trees and it seemed to almost shrink in the winter during the cold. But in the spring when it was blooming it always seemed to strong and full of life. Sometimes she came here alone to relax, sometimes Shikamaru would wordlessly show up and lay next to her to watch the clouds and leave without saying a word. Sometimes Choji would come by while she was here and offer some kind of snack he had on him. In a way it was one of her favorite places in the village to the point even her teammates knew if they couldn't find her they could look for her there. She'd never been sure what drew her here, but when they'd come back from the war, bloody, beaten, some more dead then alive; before going home, to the hokage, or anywhere else she had come back here. As she was staring off she looked down to her clock and jumped. '5:05! Crap I'm late!'' She shot up and ran at full tilt to make it to the restaurant.

She stopped just outside the door to catch her breath and wipe the sweat from her brow before taking one last deep breath and entering. She pushed the door open to hear a small bell jingle announcing her arrival. She looked around and was afraid Sakura wasn't there but then caught sight of pink hair and let out a breath of relief before making her way over to her friend's table. Sakura looked up at her and smiled as she approached. "Ino!" She felt her heart jump slightly and fought her blush and forced herself to act normal.

"Sorry I'm late. And I actually left early too," she said taking a seat. "I thought I'd walk in the park until it was time and then I spaced out. Forgive me?"

"Anytime! So I've heard good things about the tempura here," she said picking up the menu to browse even though it seemed she knew what she wanted.

"Ah so that's why we're here," Ino said matter of factly with a smug look on her face. Sakura had the decency to blush.

"We didn't have to come here if you didn't want," she said with a pout.

"Oh don't be mad, I'm just teasing you. You're too cute when you pout," she said trying hard not to blush as she wasn't kidding. Sakura's face just turned a darker shade and she hid her face behind the menu until she could get it under control. They chit chatted a bit more until the waiter came to take their orders and then Ino went looking for the info she wanted.

"So you excited about the masquerade? I can't wait, it feels like forever since we celebrated!"

"Kind of, though there are so many other things going on in my head it's kind of hard to concentrate on anything else."

"Don't concentrate on anything, just let everything go for a night. I know what you mean though. Not that long ago we were out in the field sleeping in four hour shifts before being sent out on missions or healing until you passed out. It's hard to get out of that mode and just relax. But not only that, but you never know...you could 'meet' someone there." Sakura almost choked on her drink.

"I-Ino, I wasn't even thinking about anything like that!"

"Oh, so you already have someone else in mind," she said using her teasing voice again though on the inside she was on pins and needles waiting to hear her answers.

"Of course not," Sakura sighed. "Heck I've never even thought of dating. Not since Sasuke became a missing nin..."

"Sakura...you're not still...?"

"NO! Jeeze I hate how people assume that. He was my first crush and it hurt not only because he was my crush but he was my teammate and I couldn't do anything for him." Sakura looked like a crumpled piece of paper about to blow away.

"Sakura if you and your team couldn't do anything for him then there was no helping him," Ino said firmly.

"But-"

"Listen! You guys literally went to the end of the world trying to find and save him. If you couldn't do it then it couldn't be done and that's all there is to it. No one in this world tried harder then you guys so if it could be done you would have done it."

"Thanks Ino," Sakura said with a small smile and reached over to hold her hand. Ino felt some color come to her face but forced it down, and felt herself smile back and her heart pick up as she felt the warmth of Sakura's hand on her own. "Anyway I didn't mean to tease or anything about the masquerade but I mean it would be nice to meet some people. And I know you haven't thought about it, but it might be nice to think about dating."

"But weren't you talking about how you didn't like being pushed into dating the other night?"

"That's slightly different. I have been on some dates before, but you said you've never even thought about it. Meaning you should _start_ dating."

"I-i't not like I don't have any experience with guys," she said putting her hands in her lap and looking away embarrassed. "It's not like I haven't been kissed by a guy or anything." Her face was a rosy color as she looked down at her drink.

"Huh? But you just said you never dated?"

"I-I didn't." The questioning look Ino was giving her made her fidget and the next time she spoke her voice was barely above a whisper. "T-there were a few times where we were about to fight and I-I wasn't sure we were all going to live through the night and sometimes I got drunk. And a few times I-I made out with some guys." It was Ino's turn to feel her face turn red at thinking about Sakura on the eve of a large battle drunk and making out with some random guy. Actually if she was drunk...

"S-sakura. You did just make out right?" The panic in her voise put Sakura on edge.

"Ino! I can't believe you'd say that! What kind of girl do you think I am?"

"I didn't mean it like that! But I've been drunk before and I've done some stupid stuff I would have never even thought of if I wasn't. I was just worried about you." She was serious and it showed in her eyes as she looked softly at Sakura.

"Wait so you-?" Now it was Ino's turn to act panicked.

"No! I said did something stupid. Like one time I went skinny dipping, one time I let Sai draw on me with permanent marker, when I woke up and couldn't wash it off I almost pissed myself because I thought it was a tattoo. Stupid things like that." Her face was red after admitting to some of the stupid things she had done.

"Jeez now you're the one that had me worried," said Sakura with a sigh. Ino started giggling.

"Look at us, we're acting like we're kids blushing over things like kissing and dating. Makes me feel my age for once and not someone who's technically a veteran."

"Yeah I know, I feel at least twice my age. And when I look back and think it hasn't even been ten years since we left te academy it kind of amazes me. So much has happened in so short of a time."

"Seriously though Sakura, I think you should be more open at the masquerade. Not because I think you should hook up and have a one night stand or anything. But because I think you might be missing out on something because you're so caught up in something that's already over. You don't want something important to pass you by."

"Yeah I guess you're right. It's just so hard to just relax and let go after so long."

"It's like after working out, you just need that first big deep breath. Just hold it for a minute and let it out slow and feel the rest of you relax with it."

"Yeah but how do you do that mentally?"

"I'm not sure, if you want me to get in your head and try though I can," she said smiling deviously. Sakura glared.

"Stay out of my head."

"Hehe, so protective. Don't worry." She poked the middle of Sakura's forehead with her index finger and winked. "I promise, never without permission." Sakura couldn't help the blush that came to her face and just turned her head away. It was then their meals arrived and they talked of more unimportant things like some medical research Sakura was working on, or how Shikamaru was being more of a lazy ass then usual until the bill came and they left walking home.

"So do you want to meet up at the masquerade," asked Sakura.

"No way, I won't let you figure out who I am that easily," Ino said cheekily. "How about we meet up for lunch the day after? You said you don't have to work til that night right?"

"Jeeze, it's not like it would be hard to figure out who you were if I really tried."

"Don't be a spoiled sport. It's not as much fun if you just use ninjutsu to figure it out. Come on it'll be fun. We'll talk about everything that happened the night before, but I promise we'll meet somehow that night."

"Why do I feel like you're up to something," Sakura asked smiling hesitantly.

"And if I am," she asked mischievously.

"Then god help me," said Sakura as the roads diverged and each went their own way.

"Later."

"Night."

Ino made her way home, the sun only finally dipping behind the horizon as she unlocked and entered her apartment. She made her way in the dark to her room and flopped down on her back on her bed staring out her window. She lazily lifted her arm and slid it open enjoying the slight breeze. 'I only got some of what I was looking for tonight. I still don't know how she feels about girls or...' She thought back to their conversation as they parted ways. '"Why do I feel like you're up to something?" "And if I am?"' She stared out at the moon, 'If I am up to something...can I do it? ...god help me.'

AN: Once again I hope you enjoyed, I want to try and update more before school starts so wish me luck!


	3. Movement

AN: I am sooo sorry it took so long to update. I did not intentionally do this, in fact I wanted to get this chapter out just a week after the last one but things happened. Life came up and said, 'oh look winter break and you want to relax and write and watch anime, how cute.' Sucker punch to the face! Yeah like two days after I posted the last chapter my dad was in a bad car accident and he broke part of his neck, his right knee and shin, and his left ankle. He and my uncle were both in the accident and my dad was in the hospital until xmas eve. Even since then he's in a wheelchair for a few months so I've had to help out a lot more and with work and then school starting back up it's been hard to sit down and work at this. It's no excuse and I did say updates would range from 1 week to a month but I still felt bad. Anyway I'm hoping it won't take so long next time. Thanks for waiting I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my cat and her name is not Naruto.

Chapter 3: Movement

It was the end of the week already and she actually felt kind of nervous as she looked in the mirror at her reflection, well not exactly hers. She had already activated her henge though the cloths she was wearing were her own. The woman staring back at her had long red hair down to her waist. A long silk blue backless dress ended at her ankles with slits up to her waist, the color matching her new blue eyes. She had a simple gold bracelet and small gold hoop earrings. She was taller then she normally was, at 5'11 with light warm makeup. Just a slight pink lip glass making her lips stand out. She was also wearing dark blue heels giving her another inch and a half, she looked nothing like her former self. 'Hell I'm pretty hot if I do say so myself.' Sakura winked at herself in the mirror, before getting ready to leave. She had no idea what to expect tonight and no plans whatsoever. 'Tonight I'm just going to go and have fun.' Even though tempted she wasn't going to use her abilities to figure out who people were. 'It wouldn't matter anyway since people like Kiba and Naruto will be bragging about what they did by tomorrow morning.' She giggled, locked her door and made her way to the party.

It was to be held in the new banquet hall erected in remembrance of the Uchiha's in what used to be their compound. As sad as it was to see it go, there were no more decedents and it was nothing but a ghost town. They had renovated and rebuilt over it, though gone they were not forgotten. They had also included a memorial stone in the middle of what used to be the compound. Though it didn't do the clan justice with such a horrid end no one could come up with a better idea. This was started before the war was officially over and it had been almost 2 moths since they had finished with most of it. She vaguely remembered the compound from before the massacre but it had never seemed as warm and inviting as it was now. Even though it was being held in the banquet hall they also had lanterns strung on poles around the building as some people were enjoying the warm night and music could still be heard out there. As Tsunade mentioned there were extra guards stationed, meaning there were probably twice as many not seen. She scanned the crowd as she approached but didn't see any familiar faces. Well at least not until she saw a certain couple that even with a henge stood out.

It seems even with the henge Iruka-sensei still let the scar across his face look visible, but his hair was shorter, and he wasn't tan like he usually was. Though she figured he was like that on purpose. The person holding his hand, though henged, could only be Kakashi-sensei. She giggled and blushed, no one in Konoha had saw that coming. It was said it was the only thing that could trump Naruto's usual stunt as the 'number one most unpredictable ninja.' Hell even Naruto was floored when they found out. Personally she didn't care, in their profession people died too quickly to worry about what others thought of their relationship. Hell if you could find someone to love it shoulnd't matter what gender they are. Unfortunately it seemed like tonight they still wouldn't get a chance to sneak a peek at their teachers elusive face as he was henged, surprisingly enough, as a woman with long white hair and pale blue eyes. Her face was like a finely chiseled sculpture, though she was pretty sure Kakashi didn't have a face that feminine. Though anyone in Konoha would be able to figure out who the couple was she noticed quite a few men checking out the beauty holding only Iruka-sensei. 'If only they knew.' She finally made her way inside and heard some more popular pop music playing surprisingly. Then again a lot of the younger generation had been pulled into this war and therefore a lot of the veterans who were actually attending were younger. 'Least I'll have something to dance to.' She looked around to see if anyone else was being obvious when she stopped dead in her tracks and felt her eyebrow twitch. 'THOSE TWO!'

In front of her was a pretty voluptuous blond woman with her hair in pig tails and dazzling blue eyes in a bright orange halter top and ankle length skirt but with a slit up to her thigh. And next to 'her' was a young woman with short black hair, black eyes, and a 'smile' plastered on her lips with a tight piece of black cloth stretched over her body just barely keeping her decent. She had no idea what the hell Naruto and Sai were doing, the only thing that told her the woman wasn't Hinata was not only that she would never wear something that skimpy outside the bedroom but also since they were both acting flirty with each other to get the attention of any men in the area. She damn near walked over and socked the two idiots but stopped in her tracks. 'You know what, not tonight. It's not like anyone knows I'm friends with them, and if they do they expect something like this by now. I'll probably hear all about it by tomorrow anyway.' She sighed and continued to make her way around the room.

She started to make her way to the edge of the room to see if there were any seats, took one look, blushed, and turned around. No chairs, but plenty of dark corners for couples to sneak off into for some 'privacy.' 'Jeez the party only started about an hour ago!' It took a few minutes for her to wipe the blush off her face. She wasn't a prude by any means, but it's also not like she was experienced in that area. She wiped it from her mind and heard a song she liked come on, not too fast but with a great beat. She looked around and did something she rarely ever was, she was spontaneous, she picked a good looking guy who looked like he was from sand (if the tan and accent were any indicators), and asked him to dance. He took one look at her and agreed. They made it out to the dance floor and she finally let go after years on edge, and months on the front line she cut loose and had a good time. At least for a couple songs, eventually he tried getting a bit closer, but she just said thanks but she needed a break and thankfully made it to the bathroom without catching any more glimpses of people in the corners making out. God she hoped they were just making out.

She came back out and instead of looking for someone to dance with she instead went out on the dance floor and started dancing near a group of girls who didn't mind scooting over for one more. It was odd, freeing even, even if she did something embarrassing tonight or something totally unlike her, it's not like anyone would know. Ok, it was a ninja village, it's not like _many_ people would know. Each song blended into another, a few times she thought she caught sight of a pair of twin blond pig tails swaying in the middle of the floor but they disappeared again quickly enough. Faces and bodies appeared and reappeared in waves as the tempo picked up or slowed down, until she felt hot and out of breath and needed to step out into the night air. It gave her goosebumps on her arms even though it wasn't very cold, but compared to inside it had to be at least 15 degrees cooler. She saw a small area with some snacks and drinks and went over for a glass of punch but changed her mind at the last minute and got a fuzzy navel. She could slam sake as well as her shishou (she was her student), but she _enjoyed_ the fruity less intoxicating drinks that after a few could give her a good buzz.

She made her way to a less crowded area outside and leaned against the wall sipping on her drink and cooling off. It seemed like the party was in full swing, the inside was wall to wall people and though not as crowded out here, it was still easy enough to bump into someone. In fact even though she wasn't moving someone almost fell onto her. She was able to catch him though and caught a good wiff of sake on his breath. She helped push him up and steady him and was kind of stunned. 'He looks...like a pirate.' Sure enough he had a billowy white shirt, tight black pants, a large brimmed black hat, over a red bandana with his long brown hair that wasn't being covered tied in a short pony tale. All he was missing was a peg leg and an eye patch.

"Thank you missy, but what is a beauty like you doing out here?" He winked but whatever suaveness he was trying to achieve was overthrown by the way he swayed and almost staggered.

"I needed some air and a drink, I'd ask you to join me but I think you may have had enough for the both of us." He gave a gruff laugh and staggered a bit closer to her. She once again was assaulted with the smell of sake and...'wait dog?' She blinked a few times and giggled.

"What's so funny," he said sounding a bit hurt, like he actually thought his flirting was going well. She leaned in close to his ear and held him to make sure he didn't fall on her.

"Nice try Kiba, but I prefer ninjas over pirates," she whispered in his ear. He jumped back, his face pale.

"H-how? Wait, who are you?" It was her turn to wink as she slid away from the wall and walked passed him and looked over her shoulder.

"It's a secret." She walked away leaving him kind of stunned. 'He probably wouldn't have been so shocked if he wasn't so trashed. Still that's going to drive him nuts...if he remembers.' It was then she noticed the music and stopped and it looked like people were going inside. 'It must be time for shishou's speech.' She really didn't want to hear it again, she'd helped her prepare it all week and she was sure her Tsunade's feelings wouldn't be hurt if she wasn't in there. She went back for a refill and grabbed a shot of peach pucker on a whim. She felt the low warmth on her face and felt herself unintentionally relax. 'I wonder if Ino's here yet?' She'd been unconsciously looking for her since she'd arrived but she had no idea what Ino may have been up to. Ever since they last talked she had this weird feeling in her stomach, almost like she was waiting for Ino to show her something, but she had no idea what.

"Why aren't you inside," came a smooth voice from her left, she jumped in surprise and turned to see a guy about her age with short blond hair slightly spiked and blue pools for eyes. He was about her height if maybe an inch shorter, and was wearing brown slacks that hung around his hips, and a blue button up shirt with a white casual one underneath and an earring in one of his ears.

"I just came out for some air and I'm still cooling off."

"Well that won't help you cool off at all," he said with a smile pointing to the empty shot glass and her refill in her hand. She felt her heartbeat throughout her body and her face grow warmer then it already was. She'd met up with a couple of guys tonight and talked to them, but there was something about this guy. He'd barely said anything to her, but his smile and his eyes. It was like he was staring straight into her. She smirked and tried to compose herself.

"It seems as if you've stumbled across my master plan. By continuing to drink and stay warm I will not have to go back inside. But now that you've figured out my master plan what do you plan on doing about it?" She thought she saw him blush for a second but it might have just been the light as she took another sip from her cup. His eyes followed her mouth to her drink and unexpectedly he took the cup from her hand and turned it to drink from the same side she had just drank from and finished her drink. 'Is that...an indirect kiss?' She knew her face was red now and she was too stunned to fight it off.

"Well since you're plan is much better then the one I had in mind to stay outside then I will just have to be a co-conspirator in carrying out this devious plan of yours."

"W-what makes you think I want a partner in crime," she said trying to pout but when he smiled his eyes seemed to almost shine and she couldn't help staring into them.

"If you weren't at least interested you would have just walked away already. In fact you still can, I won't stop you." He paused to try an assess her face and saw she was considering it. "Though it doesn't mean I won't follow you."

"Well then I guess I really don't have a choice do I?"

"I'm hurt! Were you really thinking of leaving your partner behind?"

"Hmmm, when did I agree we were partners?"

"You didn't but you also didn't reject the idea therefore I take the fact you didn't as an acceptance."

"That's awful presumptuous of you don't you think?"

"I like to think of it as being suave, though that only works as long as you're willing to believe it as well." They stared each other down with smirks on their faces in an almost stare off, just gazing at each other...until they both cracked. They both broke down laughing.

"I'm really happy I came tonight," Sakura finally said as she composed herself. "I feel like I haven't had this much fun in years."

"Yeah same here, it finally feels like we're really free you know?" He turned around and asked for two more drinks and handed Sakura her own to sip on. It was then they heard the music start back up. "Seems like Tsunade-sama finished her speech."

"Yeah, seems so." Sakura felt this nagging feeling in her stomach and felt kind of nervous. But then she thought back to earlier, and how right now she wasn't Sakura, she was just some random girl enjoying herself. "Hey, wanna dance?"

"I thought you wanted to get some air?" He seemed kind of surprised.

"Yeah well, you only live once and when does Tsunade have a party on her tab? This will probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity." He seemed kind of nervous at the new idea. "What are you getting shy for now? Don't tell me you can't dance."

"It's nothing like that," he said with a definite blush on his face this time.

"Then what is it?" He looked like he was trying to stall while glancing towards the banquet hall.

"Well we still have our drinks, we'll spill them," he said obviously the first thing that came to mind though he apparently knew how ridiculous that sounded since he looked like he could kick himself for saying that. Sakura quickly turned her cup up and gulped the glass down in just a minute.

"I'm good, and if you don't finish yours I will for you," she said and made a grab for his cup but he pulled it out of her reach. "Come on what's wrong?" She got closer to him and whispered near the side of his ear, "I won't tell." He jumped a bit and it accidentally brought their faces close together and they both turned red as they were close enough to feel each others breath on their faces. It was just a second they were stuck in that situation though as he quickly turned away and mumbled something. "What was that?"

"I said I don't wanna be attacked anymore." His face couldn't be any redder.

"What?"

"I left in the first place because while I was in there girls were all over me and groping me, and I have seriously never felt more like a piece of meat in my life!" He sounded like it was the most heinous act ever. She couldn't help it, she laughed. "Well great help you are," he pouted.

"Sorry, but you never hear a guy say that kind of thing."

"Yeah well as much as I like girls, I don't like girls treating me like a toy."

"Well then you have nothing to worry about." He gave her a questioning look. "I thought you were the one who said we were partners. Don't worry I got your back, I promise I won't let those dirty girls use you like their plaything," she said in a singsong voice. He glared at her and it looked like he was seriously debating over it before he sighed and downed his drink before grabbing her hand and making his way back inside. She thought he may have been over exaggerating or something, but as soon as they made their way inside she noticed all eyes on him and felt like she may actually have to protect him. But as soon as they got on the floor she forgot all about them as they started to dance.

This was different then dancing with that one guy earlier or just dancing by herself earlier. Even though he had done absolutely nothing to make her trust him or even knew who he was she wanted to get closer to him. She had no idea who he could be, but just the way he acted and played with her, she swore she had to know who he really was. Though she didn't know how to approach it, then again the night was still young and for now she'd just enjoy herself. This time the music was thumping around them, but she barely paid any attention to it as she found herself moving more to his rhythm then the actual beats. Every time their eyes met he smiled at her in a way that made her heart skip a beat and made her smile back.

She vaguely wondered if this was normal when it came to flirting and dating and felt like she had been cheating a bit if this is the first time she'd been able to experience it. She'd definitely have to make sure she could do this more, a lot more, and hopefully maybe with the same person in front of her. He never over invaded her space or did a lot of touching other then her arms or a couple of times her shoulders, almost like he knew she was new to this. 'I don't know if I know them. But they seem to definitely know me.' Her suspicions kept clogging her head up, even as she tried to ignore it and just enjoy dancing. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that he had to shake her shoulder to finally get her attention enough to figure out there was now a slow song. He was blushing and seemed a bit more timid as he held a hand out her her wordlessly asking if she wanted to dance. She looked around and noticed the mood in the room had definitely become more romantic and looked back at him, his eyes warm but unsure, anxious even. 'How cute.' She grabbed his hand and put it on her waist, his other also followed and they slowly came together to sway to the music, their bodies fitting together she felt his body heat wash over her, but it wasn't uncomfortable. She leaned her head on his shoulder and laid her hands on his shoulders, she closed her eyes just enjoying the movement. It was surprisingly him who broke the silence as he whispered to her.

"You're so beautiful," she felt her heart speed up a bit. "Especially when you smile."

"Thank you, I-I really don't know what kind of compliment to give a guy," she answered meekly. He laughed softly.

"How about an honest one?"

"I really like you're eyes." He laughed again.

"Are you trying to tell me I have pretty eyes?" He could hear the pout in her voice when she answered.

"You told me to be honest and no they're not pretty, they're...expressive. Your smile seems brighter then I see you're eyes." He was silent for a while and she was about to ask if he was ok when he finally replied.

"T-thank you." He slowly pulled away from her looking her in the eye, and the eyes she was talking about were now looking at her in a serious way, like he could see through her henge and knew exactly who she was. 'He has to know who I am...but...I don't care right now.' She couldn't help feeling drawn to him and as he stared at her their feet stopped and Sakura slowly started to close the gap between them. He seemed to panic and back up leaving her wondering what she'd done wrong. It's not like she didn't know how to kiss, it wasn't her first. Though that didn't mean she was very experienced either.

"What's wrong," she asked and felt embarrassed when her voice cracked and told herself not to get too emotional over someone she'd just met. Instead of answering he grabbed her hand and pulled her back outside where it was almost deserted now. He made sure they were far enough away no one would disturb them before turning around and looking her in the eyes. The look there now was one of confusion and a whirlwind of other things she couldn't dissect.

"I'm sorry, I just. I didn't plan on something like that happening." The way he said that...

"So you did plan this? I guess then you already know who I am don't you," she said finally voicing what she'd been thinking all night. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head defeated.

"Sorry but yeah Sakura I know who you are."

"So what exactly did you have 'planned?'"

"Jeez you don't have to say it like I planned on stealing you away and molesting you."

"Then what were you planning?" He took a step back as he yelled and she actually felt bad at the hurt look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm jumping to conclusions." He wouldn't meet her eyes after that.

"Sorry it's nothing like that. It's just...I-I like you." His face was a light pink but he continued. "I like you and I wanted to ask you out, but...I didn't know if you would ever think of me in that kind of way so...I thought if we could have fun tonight, together, maybe when tomorrow comes, you might give me a chance."

"Isn't this kind of a round about way though? I really didn't think I knew anyone this shy except Hinata."

"I'm not Hinata," he said quickly. "And...let's just say I definitely wouldn't usually be you're type. Heck I don't even know you're type." She thought back to her conversation with Ino just a few days before and it started to make sense. 'That's why Ino was so nosy! She must be helping this guy out! But who would Ino help? Well then again Ino is usually a good judge of character so it's not like she'd help anyone who she didn't think was a good person. I guess if Ino thinks he's ok, then I should at least give him a chance. I mean we were having fun.'

"Well I really don't know my type either yet. I haven't done much in the way of dating," she replied embarrassed. "But you seem like a good person. But if you wanted to get close to me then why didn't you kiss me? It's not like it was my first kiss." He seemed a bit shocked but got over it quickly.

"Because!...Because I don't want you to regret it when you figure out who I am. And I want you to kiss me, not this person. Man I'm just one huge walking contradiction aren't I? Kind of pathetic."

"Nah, definitely shy, probably confused, but not pathetic. Probably kind of sweet too."

"You say that now, but...tomorrow. Would you...be willing to meet with me tomorrow? Just to talk?"

"After all this you just want to talk? I figured you'd ask for a date."

"I do want a date!" At this his face turned a deep crimson as he just realized he said something embarrassing and he shook his head a few times before continuing. "Let's just say I want to talk to you first though, because if you take one look at me and decide you just want to walk away I won't stop you."

"Hmmm...that doesn't sound like you. Just earlier you said the same thing, but then you said you'd follow me. Why backing down now?"

"You seriously don't understand the situation, but I wouldn't expect you to know. Let's just say if you wanted to walk away I'd still want to be friends with you but I wouldn't try and force you into a date with me."

"Now I really want to know who you are," she said with a giggle. "Listen I don't care what kind of circumstances there are. You showed me a great time tonight, it's not every night or just any person I become partners with," she said with a wink. "And you were even a gentleman, for that I at least owe you one date. No matter what." His face could not get any redder and he couldn't look her in the eyes. The silence between them was like the world holding it's breath waiting to see just what this guy would do. He finally turned and smiled at her like he had when they first met, and his eyes just seemed to make his smile brighter.

"Fine but it's no one's fault but you're own. You're too damn cute for your own good. Tomorrow then, at noon in the park. There's a Sakura tree down this one path. The center path forks into three different roads about a quarter of the way in, it's off the right path about a quarter of a mile down on the right. I'll be there and I'll be wearing...hmmm." He seemed to think for a minute. "How about you pick, what should I wear to make me stand out?"

"I think you stand out just fine on your own," she said and got a pout from him. "Fine then how about behind your ear a yellow acacia flower?" He once again blushed before nodding.

"It figures you'd pick that flower."

"So you know the language of the flowers? I thought only kunoichi knew those kinds of things."

"You'll have to wait til tomorrow." She gave him a confused look. "It doesn't matter what you try you'll have to wait til tomorrow to figure out who I am," he said with a smirk.

"Am I seriously that transparent?"

"Of course not, I'm just that good. And you're partner, what kind of partner would I be if I didn't know you?"

"Don't know me huh," she said with a smirk. That smirk was dangerous, it spoke of proving him wrong, and it kind of scared him, though mostly because he had no idea what she would do to prove him wrong. He was thinking a fist to the stomach, kicking the ground to split it open beneath him, he was not expecting what she actually did. She walked up to him, grabbed his hand, and before he could figure out what she was doing she pulled him flush against her, grabbed his face, and kissed him. He was frozen, her soft lips moved against his, her lip gloss making their lips glide along each other. It took a good ten seconds for him to snap out of it and respond closing his eyes and kissing her back.

Sakura seriously had no idea what she was getting herself into, and if things went bad tomorrow she could end up hating him. But he had decided before, if anyone, Sakura was worth taking a chance for. So regardless of what lay ahead for them, he kissed her back like he had wanted to do on that dance floor so badly. It wasn't heated or lusty with tongue and saliva, but soft warmth of lips on lips as their hands unconsciously drew them closer. It seemed like forever but it may have only been a few minutes before they slowly pulled apart and half opened their eyes staring at each other. They may have stayed that way for a few more minutes but behind them the sky exploded in reds, blues, and yellows and caught their attention making them turn to the fireworks that had started signaling the end of the night. They then noticed people starting to come out of the building to watch or to make their way home. She was looking up at the sky again when she felt his breath against her ear and him whisper, "Good night, Sakura." She turned to look at him but all that was left was a poof of smoke, and a promise for tomorrow.

Back in her apartment Ino made her way back to her room and closed the door shedding her cloths as she went until she was left in a white tshirt and her underwear. She made a hand seal and the blond man who she had been parading as all night shrunk back to her normal height and body. It had been easy enough to steal some of her dads dress cloths a few days ago and henging to make them fit. She really didn't know what she expected to happen tonight when she decided to go as a guy. She was hoping to open Sakura's eyes. She acted exactly as she would have if she were Ino, but she wasn't afraid to flirt with Sakura, when they were bantering outside the first time she had gotten chills and finally started to really hope that maybe something could happen. Regardless of what Sakura had said if she met up with her tomorrow and she took one look and walked away she wouldn't hold her to the date. Tonight she had gotten _so_ much more then she had ever thought. Though it might have been because Sakura thought she was being seen as an anonymous no one, but even after she figured out Ino knew her, she still played along. She had been so afraid for so long of being hurt, even now she knew she should guard her heart against what might happen tomorrow. But that still didn't slow it's beating, even as she raised her hand to her lips and felt them still wet with lip gloss she felt her own lips curve into a smile and her heart race just a little more.

AN: Sorry if it was a bit confusing but it was just as confusing when I tried to make Ino in male form say her instead of him while thinking so I put it in Sakuras POV and I just treated Ino like a man because that's all Sakura knows her as right now. BTW the yellow acacia is supposed to mean secret love. I found it on this website: www weddingbokay com symbolism html


	4. Growth

AN: So sorry this took so long, but after the last chapter I wanted to make sure I got this right. I'm still not completely happy, but this is my third rewrite from scratch and I figure a lot of you are just wanting to know what happens next. Thanks to everyone who reviews and enjoys this story. Hopefully I won't have such a hard time next time.

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.

Chapter 4: Growth

Ino tried to calm herself down for the nth time that day as a mother and daughter walked passed her down the sunny park path. She'd been jumpy and nervous all day, today she'll finally tell Sakura the truth and hope her friend didn't kick her ass and storm away to never talk to her again. 'Come on she wouldn't do that. It may take her a few _months_ to get over it, but she would...probably.' She wiped her hands on her capris again as her palms were sweating. She was wearing a light flowery yellow tank top and capris with sandles and her hair pulled back in a ponytail as usual. She'd applied light makeup and gotten there an hour early to try and settle her nerves.

She'd been debating all morning about if she should henge back into the guy form she had taken the night before. But she promised herself when she first used the henge it was just to get her attention and it wouldn't be any good if she didn't face Sakura as herself. She nearly jumped and felt her heart pound in her ribcage as a dog walked out of the bushes on the path. She took a deep breath trying to relax herself and make sure the flower was still behind her ear but not hidden. 'Come on you promised sensei you would never loose in love, well never loose to Sakura...well how does it work now that I'm trying to win _Sakura?' _ She felt like pulling her hair out. She had absolutely no idea on how Sakura would react and if she reacted badly she didn't know how well she'd be able to hold herself together. She was shaken from her thoughts again as she heard all too familiar humming.

Instantly her mouth went dry and her heart tried to escape her rib cage but she held her ground. 'I can do this. I have fought enemy ninja, I have taken lives, I have saved lives. I can do this!' Sure enough this time the person who came into view was none other then Haruno Sakura. She was humming to herself, wearing jean shorts with a light green tank top that seemed to accent her eyes. Her hair was pulled back by a clip on the left side of her head and her lips seemed to shine, probably lip gloss, 'I wonder if it's flavored?' She was brought out of her less then pure thoughts when Sakura finally spoke noticing the girl.

"Ino-chan?" The girl seemed genuinely confused as she came to the predetermined spot only to see her friend instead of the guy she had met the night before. 'What's going on, did he stand me up,' Sakura thought to herself and scanned the area, only to find just Ino standing there. Ino worked up all the moisture she could in her mouth to finally reply.

"Hi Sakura-chan." Sakura came to a stop a few feet in front of her and she looked around the area to see if anyone else was around before her eyes landed on Ino again.

"What are you doing out here?" She seemed genuinely confused and Ino hoped she started picking up the hint, she knew this was going to be hard but she didn't want to have to spell this out. She lifted her hand and pushed non existent loose hair behind her ear showing the flower they had agreed upon for her to wear behind her ear.

"This is one of my favorite spots, it's beautiful don't you think?" She did and didn't answer her question at the same time. Sakura looked around the area noticing the warmth coming through the trees, and then looked at the still young cherry blossom tree behind her and smiled.

"Yeah it really is nice. But what are you doing our here right now? Are you on lunch break?" Sakura sounded confused but also a little timid. Ino felt her heart clutch and had to try and keep smiling though she thought i wasn't very convincing. 'Shit she's not getting it. Oh well I figured it probably would end up like this.'

"I told you last night...you definitely wouldn't understand the situation. But this is what it is." Sakura's confusion slowly started to turn to shock though she still seemed to be in denial. Her eyes got wide and she saw the pieces of the puzzle coming together in her friends mind. Sakura's eyes shot to the flower in Ino's hair and Ino's slightly dressy appearance.

'No way, this...this can't be right,' were Sakura's thoughts as she stared at the blond in front of her. She figured that Ino was helping the guy but this seemed...

"Last night? Look I know you were probably asking those questions about me dating to help that guy out, but I don't understand this. Ino what's going on?" Ino sighed and might have laughed at how wrong her friend had gotten it if it wasn't such a bad situation.

"I-I really hoped I didn't have to spell it out but this is why I said if you took one look and wanted to walk away I wouldn't stop you. I still won't," she said unable to meet her eyes through the whole conversation, her voice had lost it's confidence and she seemed as timid as Hinata right now. "I was the guy you met last night, I was the one who asked you to meet me here today because...because I think I-" Her heart was stuck in her throat and she felt like she might be sick and moisture still wasn't coming to her mouth. 'Come on! You've come this far! You can't back down!' "I think I like you!" Sakura felt her heart skip a beat, she told herself it was from shock, but even she couldn't be sure. She felt her face heat up slightly, she'd never had such a direct confession before. The last part was all but shouted as Ino closed her eyes tightly too afraid to look and see Sakura gone. She heard nothing, not a rustle, not a poof, nothing. It was dead silent as Ino still refused to open her eyes though she felt panic well inside of her with every second that ticked by. 'This...can't be right. I mean we've been friends since we were kids. We stayed the night at the others house, we've bathed together, we told each other our darkest secrets, this...this isn't...,' Sakura thought to herself half in shock.

"I-Ino, this isn't funny..." Ino's eyes snapped open to see the incredulous look on her friends face not sure she was believing what she was hearing. Of all the reactions this wasn't one she was expecting. "Really this is a bit too much." 'She thinks this is a joke? That I would joke about something like this?' Her heart was flip flopping in her chest when it wasn't trying to squeeze itself to death, and Sakura thought all this pain was a joke? As scared as she was, as raw as she felt with her emotions boiling over, she felt anger welling inside of her. Ino's face went from shy and meek to ablaze with anger. Sakura felt herself back up a little.

"How dare you! I go through all of that last night, I try and get you to like me in a form you might be more comfortable with, to get you to finally see me and you think this is a joke! I'm laying myself open in front of you and you think it's a joke," she said the last part a half choked sob. She held it back, she refused to cry in front of her. She wouldn't cry because of Sakura, because of a crush, she was a much stronger woman then that. Sakura's eyes widened and pure shock was etched on her face, she finally started to understand the situation.

'It can't be...but it is. Ino is here, in front of me, looking like she's either going to hit me or start crying, telling me she...she...likes me.' Sakura felt her heart start to beat a little faster and she had to take a deep breath and hold it for a second to try and get it under control. This was too surreal, she had no idea how to feel but the way Ino was talking and acting...she couldn't just brush it off like it was a joke. "You're not joking. So you...you really, like me?" Ino felt her face go a deep red as she failed to control the blush, but she wouldn't back down, not now.

"Y-yeah." Ino could find no other words to say to reply to the woman looking completely floored in front of her. There were many thoughts going through her head about what she should say to Sakura, if she should hold her hand, if she should try to comfort her. But really she was the one who wanted to be comforted and told things were going to be all right. She felt a bit light on her feet and decided to sit down on the grass under the tree. Sakura took a second but followed suit sitting about a foot to her right. She still had that gobsmacked look on her face.

Sakura didn't know what to do but the look on Ino's face, made her want to hug her and tell her everything was going to be all right. It wasn't nearly as bad but she hadn't seen Ino look this fragile since Asuma died and she'd been shell shocked. What Sakura considered just a date with a cute guy she was flirting with last night was a lot bigger then she imagined and she knew that for someone like Ino to do something like this she had to take this seriously. "I-I don't know what to say."

"Please, don't hold back. Please just tell me what you're thinking right now, please? It's painful not knowing what you think," Ino pleaded. She wanted the honest truth and nothing else right now would do. Even if it hurt in the end, she needed this, her nerves were on end with the unknown.

"I'm seriously shocked. I mean I hear about how you always go out with guys and you're always really girly, girlier then me even. I'm just surprised. I mean...how long?" She was still trying to figure out what had changed her friend, the thing is Ino never actually changed. 'If she never changed though, does that just mean I've been blind this whole time. That I never actually knew my friend?' She felt kind of hurt, like Ino had been keeping this a secret forever and thought Sakura wasn't important enough to know. But thinking back it was probably after Sasuke, when they still weren't quite friends. So she let her petty anger go and instead felt bad she and Ino had drifted apart for a while because of Sasuke.

"I-I don't know," Ino said "It's like, there's no when or anything. I just know I've had crushes on a couple girls and I tried dating guys but I never seem to really be into them. I-I just want you to know I'm really serious. I-I'm putting a lot on the line right now by even confessing this. It's like I'm finally confessing to myself, not just you, the feelings I've started having for you."

In that moment Ino looked so...cute. She was so timid and shy and everything not Ino, but at the same time that bit of her that was always courageous peaked through as she continued talking even though it was hard. 'I can't help it even though she's so girly I've never seen Ino so...cute.' Ino heard a giggle and felt her heart jump as she turned to see Sakura smiling. 'Finally a good sign!' Even if it wasn't Sakura confessing her feelings it was enough to put Ino at some ease.

"That seems so like you, jumping in without planning ahead," Sakura said. Ino felt herself blush for a whole other reason this time. Of all the people to fall for she had to fall for the one that knew her best.

"And it would be just like you to come with five backup plans prepared for any situation," she shot back. Sakura smiled feeling them slip into how they normally were with each other. It felt more relaxed then before.

"Well then you should feel pleased to know you've blown all my backup plans out of the water." It seemed comfortable again, like that night they lay on the floor just being themselves and enjoying each others company. "I knew the guy I met last night was way too familiar. I just didn't know why," she said being honest. Ino let Sakura's last sentence fly away on the wind. It wasn't a question or something for her to add to, it was just acknowledgment. It was so odd now that Sakura thought back on it, Ino was acting like Ino but with a quick gender change Sakura couldn't place her at all. It hit her at that moment, what Ino had done just to get her attention. She was right, if she would have hit on Sakura last night as herself she would have thought she was drunk or playing a joke. She felt a bit happy knowing Ino had tried so hard to get her to look at her.

They both sat there wondering what the next move was. Ino had made her move and now it was up to Sakura to figure out what would happen next. Ino still felt nervous, there was no way to tell how Sakura felt or what she wanted. But she felt better now that Sakura realized she was being serious, she didn't think Sakura was one to take advantage of this kind of situation. "Ino I'll be serious. I have no clue what to do. I don't know if I like girls, and I don't know if I have those kinds of feelings for you. I don't know what to do." 'I don't want to hurt her, but I'm not going to lie either.' She looked over at Ino and saw her face crumple a little but saw her stubbornness push her to hold it together and just look a little disappointed. If she didn't know Ino as well as she did she wouldn't have noticed, but because she did...

As much as Ino's heart hurt right now she was glad Sakura was being honest with her. "I-I told you last night, if you wanted to just walk away I wouldn't hate you as long as we could be friends still." 'But-' "But, you said you don't know. I, would you, I mean," she felt like freaking Hinata the way she was stumbling. She took a deep breath to stop her babbling and finally just put out what she wanted to say. "Would you give me a chance?" 'Well look at that I shocked her twice in one day,' Ino thought almost smugly. That gobsmacked look on Sakura's face might become a permanent fixture around Ino. "Would you please give me a chance? Just a little while, a date or two, to see if you could start to see me that way? If nothing happens then I won't push it because you would have at least gave me a chance. But you said it yourself, you don't know if you have those feelings. So would it hurt just to try, a little?" It took everything she could to get that out. She'd rather take on all the Akatsuki again then have to wade through that again.

Sakura was once again shocked and took a minute to think this over. 'Would it really be that bad to _give Ino a chance_? She tried to hard to get me to look at her, to see her, and even though I don't think it will change she's right...I don't know how I feel about dating a girl.' She screwed her face up knowing this could be more trouble then it was worth. But she looked over at the blond girl who was waiting with anticipation. This wasn't just some stranger or someone who came up after a night of talking to her and confessed. This was her best friend, her ex-rival, this was Ino. She remembered earlier when Ino had confessed, how her heart had skipped a beat and felt her face heat up slightly but pushed it away.

"Ino..." She seemed to really be thinking it over, and Ino had said all she could. It was up to Sakura now. Even though it was a warm summer day Ino felt chilled, and her heart was all over the place. It seemed like an eternity but it was probably only a few minutes before Sakura finally replied.

"Ino, I-I can't say no." Ino's heart was pounding joyfully. 'She said yes! ...kinda!' "Listen like I said I don't know if I have any of those feelings so don't take it as a confession or anything. I figure going on a couple dates couldn't hurt. BUT until I figure out _what_ my feelings are I want to keep this just between us." She said all of this in a hurry trying to set down some ground rules before Ino ran away with the idea.

"Huh? You mean a secret?" Ino looked a little crestfallen and Sakura sighed.

"Like I said I don't know my feelings right now. So what good is it to tell everyone we're dating and then if I find out I don't like you more then a friend then people will think I started liking girls when I don't even know if I like girls." She sighed knowing she sounded like a bigot. "I'm not trying to be mean, there's nothing wrong with liking girls I just don't know if I do. Please don't take it the wrong way," she pleaded. Sakura was treading in new waters and didn't know how she was going to fare. But if she could give a little and give Ino a chance Ino could give a little to make this work too. 'Make this can work...,' her own thoughts gave her a start.

"I guess you have a point," Ino finally conceded but seemed a bit disappointed still.

"This is a bit newer to me so would you mind if we took it slow? I know I kissed you last night but I just want to get used to it you know?" Ino felt like sighing again but held back and smiled nodding. She had to give Sakura a little leeway. Hell she actually agreed to her half baked idea, and was giving her a chance! It's not like Sakura was like her and had crushed on a couple girls before, or hell even considered other girls before so she couldn't expect her to just jump on the bandwagon.

"It's not like it's going to change a lot. I mean you remember the other night when we were just hanging out in your apartment and we talked and had fun and just laid on the ground together? Even things like that are just little moments that can be considered important." Sakura was a little taken aback. She thought back to that night Ino and her had talked and just laid on the ground staring at each other. At the time she had felt what she thought was nostalgia, but it was different. Now thinking back on it maybe it wasn't that at all. 'But then what was that I was feeling?' "It's not all making out and groping in back rooms or anything," Ino continued breaking Sakura's contemplative bubble. Sakura's face went from gobsmacked to beat red.

"Ino!"

"Huh? W-wait I'm not saying I did anything like that! W-what kind of person do you take me for," she said her face just as red as Sakura's. Ino took a deep breath and sighed. "What I'm trying to say is we don't have to completely change, a lot of dating is just having fun with the person you're with. If, if this is too much for you..." Sakura seemed a bit crestfallen and she leaned her head on Ino's shoulder with her eyes closed. 'Jeeze we've only barely started and I feel so guilty for jumping to conclusions about Ino. And yeah dating a girl is a bit different, but it's not something completely different. It's just dating...with a girl instead of a guy.' Sakura felt a bit like a heel.

"I'm sorry Ino I'm making this a lot harder then it has to be aren't I? I always tend to overdo things like that."

"It's fine, it's one of your greatest flaws and best qualities all in one." Ino had the urge to put her arm around her but didn't know if it'd be accepted at this point. 'You know what, I can't be afraid all the time. I only have one chance.' She slowly moved her arm up and around Sakura to rest it on her other shoulder pulling her closer. She felt her heart beat faster but tried to act calm as to not scare Sakura. Sakura on the other hand was trying to calm down. 'It's just her arm, come on she's not groping you, she's not doing anything lewd. Hell if this was before her confession it wouldn't be anything big at all, so knock it off before you blow this out of proportion.' Even as she said that her heart beat just a little faster, though probably not for the reason she thought. She decided to change the topic.

"So, what did you want to do the rest of the day?"

"Huh," Ino replied eloquently.

"Well I didn't turn you down, and we probably both have the rest of the afternoon off, so what were you planning on doing?"

"Why do I have to make the plans?"

"Aren't you the one who asked me out?"

"I was trying to keep myself together in case you said you hated me and stormed off, I never even thought that far ahead," Ino replied kind of embarrassed she was once again unprepared.

"Of course," Sakura said and giggled.

"Well fine then what plans did you have then," she said pouting.

"Actually some lunch at this little diner, then there's a bar where they have great music for dancing..." Sakura started trailing off.

"Sakura? Is something wrong?"

"Ah, well, not really, kinda. I was thinking about how we danced last night and...well I don't know if I'm kind of ready for that yet...with you...jeeze I make it sound like it's sex or something," she said her face heating up. Ino finally let herself laugh and rubbed Sakura's shoulder.

"That's fine, we can just have some lunch and do some window shopping, that sound safe to you?" Sakura grumbled but agreed. 'God I feel like such an idiot. It's just dancing, it's not sexual. And once again I'm making it seem like it's a bad thing. If this was before the confession you wouldn't think twice.' But that was the thing, Ino had confessed and now Sakura was seeing her and everything she did in a whole new light.

"Sakura, please don't hold yourself back, if you want to do something together let's do it. If in the end you think you don't want this and don't want people thinking you like girls I will personally go around and tell everyone we were just friends having fun. It's not like I'd kiss you in public or anything." 'Though it's not as if I don't want to,' she thought sadly but figured she had to do baby steps. Hopefully if she could get Sakura to see how much she cared for her, she might just start opening up. "Just please be yourself, like you were last night." Sakura thought back to the night before and the fun they were having, how at ease she felt with the guy she was flirting with. How much she was looking forward to seeing him again today, and she technically was. The person she had a good time with last night was still right here in front of her.

"Ino..."

"I'm sorry I kind of tricked you. But come on if I did that stuff how I am now you'd think I was drunk or something. I was still me, I just didn't look like me, so please keep that in mind." Sakura nodded and seemed to be deep in thought. 'I can do this, we'll have fun and I don't care what other people see or think. I really...I really wanted to see him again.' With that a picture of the kiss the night before came unbidden into her mind and she had to shake her head to clear it. She got to her feet brushing the grass off of herself, then she turned and offered Ino a hand up.

Ino knew it wasn't anything intimate, and if she had never confessed Sakura would probably do the same thing. But Ino had confessed, and that outstretched hand seemed like it held so much more. Like it was offering her a chance, and she didn't hesitate in taking it. When their hands touched she swore she felt a spark, but she didn't let go. 'Not now, or ever.'

AN: Thanks again everyone for reading!


	5. Shoot

AN: I am soo sorry it took so long to get this out. Aside from school, which while it does eat up my time, I was hit with horrid writers block. I had written myself into a hole and could not get out. I rewrote this chapter from scratch 3 times before I was satisfied though it ended up being pure fluff. But the thing is this will probably be one of the few just pure fluff chapters before things start getting messy so enjoy it while you can. I tried to take useful criticism into account when writing this. I know a couple people thought Sakura was acting a bit childish at the confession; but in all fairness she was going to meet a random guy for a date then get a confession from a woman, and not just a woman, her best friend who she thought was straight. She's going to be struggling a little but she will get better. BTW I am putting their ages at around 19 right now. Sorry again for the lateness I hope some things I did to try and keep the block from happening again will work.

Disclaimer: I own my phone and my cat and neither are named Naruto.

Chapter 5: Shoot

Ino sat on her bed still in her pajamas deep in thought holding only a pillow. Her confession with Sakura yesterday had gone better then she'd ever dreamed, and then they even went on a mini date! It was mini because even though they had gone to dinner and were about to leave the restaurant they were interrupted by an ANBU who had come to collect Sakura. There was an emergency at the hospital, Ino asked if they needed her but they told her Sakura was needed for her expertise in poisons and antidotes so she and Sakura had to say goodnight. It was kind of awkward because though Ino had wanted to try and get a goodnight kiss from her later, but she knew Sakura wouldn't go for it in public. So she had settled for a hug and a wave goodbye. She sighed a bit in frustration but figured maybe it was for the best. Even though they were now dating going on a first date just minutes after the confession seemed rushed and she could tell they were both a little on edge with what to do now. Hopefully though now things would be a little more settled and concrete and she wouldn't have to fear Sakura punching her through a wall if she made a move. She was tempted to go ask Sakura out today but she didn't know if she was busy or not, and even if she wasn't if she was up for doing anything. She had no idea how long she'd been at the hospital last night.

'Wait that could be perfect! I could go over there to check on her and make sure she's all right, especially if she pulled an all nighter!' She almost squeeled with glee, but she was Yamanaka Ino and she would never do that...if there was a chance someone would see. She quickly got up and got herself dressed throwing on a casual pair of shorts and a white t-shirt with blue sleeves and throwing her hair in a ponytail in record time. She could never let her teammates know she could actually get reasdy that fast.

"Now where is it," she muttered to herself going into her kitchen and rummaging through her cupboards. She moved some things around until she found a container with a red powder. She licked her finger, stuck it in the powder, then licked her finger again getting a thoughtful look as if trying to discern the taste. "That's definitely it!" She grabbed a small lunch sack and put the container with powder in it along with a small travel can of her favorite coffee and tea, she wasn't sure which Sakura would prefer, and then threw on her sandles and was out the door. She only made one quick stop in the market place before making it to Sakura's place still in an upbeat mood. She knocked lightly on the front door and called out, "Sakura." She waited a minute and when she didn't hear anything inside she sensed for her chakra and felt it in there so she tried knocking again. When she didn't answer this time she used her skills to pick the lock and make her way inside checking for any traps, come on she was a ninja doors couldn't stand between her and her girlfriend.

She made her way to the kitchen and set down her things before picking her way through the messy apartment, 'I knew it,' she thought smugly thinking back to how Sakura denied being messy the other day. She had the urge to clean it while Sakura was gone, but then Sakura might try and get her to do it every time. She found Sakura's bedroom and peaked in since the door was ajar to see her sleeping on top of the covers still fully dressed. 'Jeez she must have been exhausted last night.' She couldn't help the light blush as she stared at the way Sakura's pink unruly hair was pillowed around her making her skin seem all the more pale like a dolls porcelain skin. She seemed so petite and soft laying there asleep in her bed, nothing like the strong kunoichi and medic nin who could take on a small shinobi village like when she was awake. She might have held off waking her up except it was almost noon by now so she figured it was fine. She knocked lightly on the door.

"Sakura?" There was a groan and a mumble. "Sakura come on it's almost noon," she said a little more loudly before making her way in the room making noise as she did as to not startle the half awake girl. It was never smart to startle a shinobi no matter who you were.

"I-Ino? What are you...doing here," she said lifting her head off the pillow but still half asleep.

"I wanted to come check on you to make sure you were ok. I figured with how important it was you might have exhausted yourself, and it looks like I wasn't too far off." She wasn't trying to sound smug but the way Sakura squinted at her she wasn't sure.

"What time is it," she grumbled laying her head back down on the pillow.

"It's close to noon, and you look like crap." She got an annoyed look from the petite pinkette but brushed it off. "Why don't you hop in the shower, it might help you feel better." Sakura continued looking annoyed before sighing and dragging herself into an upright sitting position apparently agreeing with her. Her rumpled outfit fell into place in a few areas and she had creases on her skin from sleeping in them all night.

"By the way do you like coffee or tea," Ino asked getting a confused look from Sakura before she apparently figured out the question being asked.

"Coffee, you can have some too if you want," she said figuring Ino was going to brew some of her's from the can next to the coffee maker.

"Sure thing, just hop in the shower, I'll be in the kitchen." She watched as Sakura pulled herself out of bed her shirt askew and her pants almost falling off her hips. Even being so disarrayed she looked cute enough to make Ino smile as she walked by.

As she heard the shower turn on she pulled out the coffee from her container and started brewing some in the coffee maker on the counter. She then found a dusty blender that looked like hadn't been used since it was bought and ts'ked. She rinsed it out and plugged it in before measuring out the right amount of powdered mix she'd brought, milk, and a small cup of sugar before blending it and putting it in a tall glass. She then pulled out the other ingredients she picked up from the market and quickly whipped up two omelets with fresh veggies and ham. She was finishing putting the plates on the table when she heard the shower cut off and quickly put the dishes in the sink before pouring two cups of coffee. She saw Sakura walk in with a towel on her head towel drying her hair and giggled as she pulled the towel off and her hair was sticking everywhere. She was wearing her basic medic outfit today, meaning she probably had to work, but she looked a lot better then when she woke up. Sakura looked like she was going to reply but froze when she saw the setup on the table. There were two plates with two omelets, two cups of steaming coffee, and a couple bananas and apples in the middle of the table along with a large glass of some kind of blended red/purple concoction from what she could see.

"I thought...you were just making coffee." Ino didn't know if she was just shocked or confused as to how the food ended up on her table.

"Of course not, this is what I came over for in the first place. I figured if you were working late last night and probably exhausted yourself and you might need a pick me up this morning."

"But you didn't have to," she said trailing off as she took the brush in her hand and started taming her hair as she walked over and sat down at the table.

"Don't worry about it. I know how it can be to be called into the hospital on an emergency and then have trouble getting started the next day. Really don't worry so much, I did this because I wanted to not because I have to." She knew she might be trying a bit hard but she was going to do everything she could to get Sakura to fall for her.

"Ah," she said still seeming a little embarrassed if the blush on her cheeks was anything to go by. "Thank you Ino, really." The smile Sakura gave her had her stomach doing flip flops and she knew she was smiling like an idiot blushing just as badly because she had made the young woman happy with something so simple.

"Well dig in, and make sure to finish that smoothie off," she said taking a seat across from her. Sakura looked at the large maroon 'smoothie' and sniffed it raising an eyebrow as she did. "Don't worry it's my own blend and you know I have good tastes." She still looked a little apprehensive but went ahead and took a drink. She took a few gulps and as she pulled it away to set it back down her eyes grew large.

"Wow, that's just...wow. What's in that?" She seemed so amazed it had Ino floating in happiness.

"It's a secret," she said smirking which automatically had Sakura pouting. "But if you ever need any just ask. It doesn't just taste good, there's a blend of herbs, minerals, and vitamins that'll help kick start you."

"But...it tastes so good. Hell when I try and make soldier pills I can get them to where they work well but they still taste like dirt and used coffee ground." Ino tried not to laugh knowing what Sakura's cooking skills were when they were younger and it sounds like they hadn't improved at all.

"It's probably because of the cooking classes my mom gave me, she did it so I could help people at the shop too. We sold a lot of herbs and spices so she figured it would help if I knew what they were and how to use them." By then Sakura had finished her drink and was on to the omelet, reaching to the side of the table next to the wall where she had her coffee things and grabbed some sugar.

"Did you want any milk? It really helps with the flavor of that blend," Ino said pointing to the coffee cup with her fork after she took a bite of her own omelet.

"Wait, this blend?" She picked up the cup and took a sniff and immediately recognized this wasn't her store bought stuff she usually drank. "You bought coffee too?"

"Of course not, most of the drinks are from my own private stash I make at home. Chill I didn't really go out of my way, I already had most of this." The look on Sakura's face still said she was apprehensive but she didn't say anything more.

"Are you sure, you really didn't have to go out of your way," she said meekly seeming a bit embarrassed; though if it was because someone was doing something nice for her or if it was because _Ino_ her _girlfriend_ was doing something for her she didn't know.

"Don't worry about it, I liked doing this for you. Now did you want some milk?" She nodded not meeting Ino's eyes as she continued eating the omelet. As Ino got up to get the milk from the fridge Sakura found she couldn't look away from her. Ino came over and was all but taking care of her, like when they were kids and Sakura was getting bullied or got hurt, Ino would always look out for her. There was this feeling, almost like nostalgia, but...different. This different kind of warmth, and she felt her face heat up just thinking about it. She was able to calm down though as Ino came back with the milk. And after adding it and taking a long drink she had to admit it was the best damn coffee she had ever drank.

"I feel like I owe you or something now. I'm not used to being this pampered," she admitted.

"Well you don't owe me anything, I mean this is the kind of thing people do for the person their dating right?" She was sure her heart sped up and she was having trouble looking Ino in the eye again but she tried to calm down. It wasn't that she didn't like Ino or the situation, so far she was really enjoying being with Ino. It was just hard for her to let go and relax into _any_ relationship. She wasn't joking about not really dating before this, so it wasn't just that she was dating a girl, it was more that she was dating period. Flings and a bit of fun here or there was not the same as dating. But she was a kunoichi who fought in a war and came out in one piece, she had to calm down and stop being so childish about this. 'Just enjoy it, she definitely is.' She smiled broadly at Ino and actually reached across the table with her free hand and took a hold of the blonde's.

"Yeah you're right. Still though I feel bad for our date being interrupted yesterday. I'd offer to go out today but I'm busy, I have a shift today."

"I figured as much when you came out in your uniform. I actually have to pull a shift at the flower shop tonight myself. I feel bad, like I've been skipping out and leaving my mom with too much work. She might be healed but she's still not 100% ya know? But what do you have going Tuesday?"

"Well I was going to spar with Sai and Naruto but I can always tell them something came up."

"You sure you'd be ok with that?"

"Yeah don't worry about it, I ask to spar with them all the time, usually at least 3 times a week so don't feel bad. What did you want to do?"

"Actually I have someplace I think would be fun to go to, but it's a bit different, it would kind of be an outdoors date."

"Where?"

"It's a secret," she said with a wink. Sakura sweat dropped but since Ino seemed so happy about it she decided not to burst her bubble.

"Sure, what should I wear or bring then?"

"Don't worry leave everything up to me and meet me around noon on Tuesday outside the flower shop?" Sakura still had her reservations but she'd learned from being friends with Naruto that sometimes out of the ordinary was just more fun.

Tuesday morning came sooner then Sakura thought and even though Ino had told her to leave everything to her she was still going back and forth about what to wear. 'She said it would be an outdoors date so I need something practical.' She already knew she'd be wearing her ninja sandles and black shorts but she was debating on whether to wear her normal red zip top or if she should go with a new top she'd bought yesterday. 'But it's kind of revealing...' She got it while on the way home from work yesterday while she was giddy about having a date today. Now though as she looked at the short top she wasn't so sure. It was a red and white top that looked like a mix between a sports bra and a tank top. It was tight and form fitting like a sports bra but was a half shirt like Sai's black shirt but with a zipper down the middle. 'Come on Sakura it's time to step it up! You told Ino you'd take this seriously so you damn well better!' If she was going on a date with the girl she wanted said girl to notice her. She shook her head and grabbed threw on her new top before walking out the door to meet Ino.

Ino was already waiting for her outside the flower shop as she approached. She felt hew face flush as she caught sight of Ino, and had to force herself to keep walking even though she was almost stopped in shock. She had a tight blue spaghetti strap tank top with white trim, short blue comfortable shorts, and hiking sandles. It was very sporty but at the same time the shades of blue she was wearing seemed to accentuate her eyes and she felt herself drawn to said eyes as her friend waved her over.

"There you are, wow you look so cute," she said looking her up and down getting a blush from Sakura.

"Y-you look good too, is that new," she asked a bit flustered under the scrutiny.

"Ah yeah, so are you ready?" It might have been her imagination but she thought Ino seemed eager to go.

"Sure but you still haven't told me where we're going."

"And I told you it's a secret," she said and she bent over to grab her very full looking backpack. She watched as Ino bent over and noticed how her shorts went up just another inch as she did so and noticed how toned her legs looked in those shorts-'Oh my god I am not checking her out!' She quickly looked anywhere but at Ino trying to contain her blush but failing. 'It's one thing to get into dating her but I was checking her out like a piece of meat! I feel like such a guy!'

"Sakura are you ok," she said with a certain lilt to her voice and a coy smile that told her she knew she'd been looking.

"Yeah fine just excited, so lead the way," she said trying to cover her embarrassment with enthusiasm. She was a bit shocked when a second later Ino took her hand and began walking hand in hand with her down the road. It took a second to gather her thoughts but Sakura thought to herself, 'this is really nice.'

Ino felt giddy, which was odd since she hadn't felt this kind of light fluffy giddy since she was a kid. Sakura was walking next to her as they made their way down the street. She'd felt the other girls gaze on her when she was getting the backpack, she was used to it from other guys, but from Sakura... She felt so happy, like things were finally going her way. It didn't take long for them to get outside the village gates and continue walking down the forest path to her secret date spot, she'd _never_ brought anyone out here before. She noticed a few times Sakura had been looking at her a bit spaced out but when she said something to get her attention Sakura just looked away and said she was spacing, but one time she swore she had caught her blushing.

Sakura felt the warmth from Ino's hand crawl up her arm and spread across her chest. She looked to the woman next to her, her heart fluttering and not sure how to respond but Ino's smile calmed her and she hesitantly tightened the grip on her hand. She was excited and wondering just what Ino had planned out here alone like this. 'Alone? Wait! No! It's not like that! I mean we just started dating...but then again that one night...' She blushed thinking back to the party a few nights ago. For gods sake yet she felt like a 12 year old again when faced with this situation. She felt so bad because she knew a lot of this had to be wearing on Ino's patience with taking things slow. 'It's not like I don't like it,' she thought as they swung their clasped hands slightly with each step. 'And even though it was a henge last time...' Her mind went back to the soft lips from last night, _too soft_ she'd thought at the time...

"Sakura." She felt heat rise to her face and turned to see Ino had a smirk on her face as she turned to face her. "Have you been listening to anything?" Ino was teasing but she still felt embarrassed and guiltily rubbed the back of her neck.

"Umm sorry I was kind of spacing." Ino just giggled.

"I was saying this is where it gets kind of tricky," she said as she pulled a black bag out of the backpack and then put the backpack inside and pulled the cord tight tying a knot in it and motioning for her to come over to a rocky outcropping. They climbed up on top and Ino went over the the far Western side near an opposing rock face making it a dead end.

"We're going rock climbing?" This wasn't what she would have planned for a first date. Ino cracked a small stick in her hand and Sakura recognized it as a glow stick as she put it on a string and put it around her neck before doing the same with a second and handing it to Sakura. She put it on but was confused as Ino still hadn't answered her.

"Not up, between," she said taking Sakura's hand and then she noticed a crack in the rock wall, but it was way too-

"A hidden entrance! To what," Sakura asked aloud. Sure enough it looked like a small crack but it was a natural optical illusion, it was still a crack and a tight fit but the two kunoichi should have no problem fitting themselves in.

"I keep telling you it's a secret. You trust me don't you," Ino said a mischievous smile still on her face as she led the girl into the entrance. It was a tight squeeze and the small glow sticks just barely gave enough light to see a few feet in front of you which led her to think Ino came quite a few times before. Thankfully it was only maybe a dozen yards before the crack gave way to an open cavern. Not very big, maybe the size of an apartment, with cracks and grooves running all over the walls.

"Wow, I never knew this place existed," she said sincerely amazed. She'd hid out in a few caves on missions when needed but this was different, the ones she found were usually fairly obvious and well used by other travelers and such but this one was as close to untouched as she'd ever seen.

"_This_ is just the entrance." She still held Sakura's hand and pulled her over to the North side and was startled when she stepped in a puddle and then they stood in front of a small pond. Ino cracked another glow stick and tossed it in watching it float to the bottom, it went down maybe 15 feet before it stopped.

Ino then let go of her hand and jumped in the water fully clothed.

"Ino!" She saw her friend sink down a few feet before paddling her way back up.

"You don't have a problem holding your breath do you?" Sakura felt like she was falling deeper and deeper into a genjutsu of some type. This was nuts, she was on a date, in a cave, and going swimming in a cave pond? She couldn't help it as her body all but tingled in excitement. 'Best date ever!'

She smirked and jumped into the water splashing Ino as she did so. She saw the pout on Ino's face as she paddled up next to her. The water was surprisingly warm, she thought that cave water, since it was below the surface, was usually cold, maybe there was a natural hot spring around here?

"Now what?"

"I'll drop a few more of these on the way, but I'm going to swim under that wall," she said with a few more glow sticks in her hand and pointing to the far wall where it looked like the pond ended. "It's not very far and you shouldn't have trouble following me. But just in case grab the bag," she said as she grabbed the rope on the end of the bag and tied it firmly to her waist. "And tug. Got it?" She nodded feeling both scared and excited; it's not that she was claustrophobic but it was a bit scary not knowing how far you had to swim and hold your breath.

"All right, ready?" She nodded and Ino took a few deep breaths before plunging under the water and swimming for the far wall, Sakura right behind her. She was a bit surprised when the water seemed to get warmer the farther under the wall they swam. Ino dropped another glow stick just passed the wall and Sakura was glad the tunnel they were swimming was large. Almost the width of the 'pond' they were just at. She looked around noticing a bit of red algae on a few areas, swaying slightly as they continued swimming. She noticed Ino drop a second glow stick and noticed they'd swam maybe 10 feet already from the last glow stick and she wondered how much longer they'd have to go. She was ok on air but she was starting to get panicked as she didn't see an exit. If she wasn't a kunoichi she would probably be a lot worse off. The cave then narrowed slightly but it was still rather large and then she saw...a glow? It wasn't a glow stick...

Ino dropped the final glow stick and then started swimming directly up. Sakura hurried to follow after and sure enough she saw the exit above them and...more glowing? Ino broke the surface and tred water waiting for Sakura who followed soon after. Sakura closed her eyes as she broke the surface and took a deep breath of air and immediately felt the humidity of the cave.

"Sakura, open you're eyes," came Ino's voice to her side and as she did she sucked in another breath of air. 'It's amazing!' The glowing she'd seen earlier was bio-luminescent algae, she heard a dripping noise and looked over the edge of the pool they'd just swam into and saw a few more smaller puddles, maybe a couple inches deep, around them that drained into theirs. Ino made her way to the edge of the pool and pulled herself and the bag out before turning and holding a hand out to Sakura.

"It gets better, come on." Sakura didn't know how that could be but she took Ino's hand as she helped haul her out and was pulled along again. She noticed a mound of rocks on the far wall and saw it dripping down into one of the pools in the floor. She noticed that the trickle down effect must be coming from there. Maybe a natural spring? But it was so hot.

"Ino is this a hot spring?"

"Sure is," she said with a smirk. "The spring flows down from the top pool up there," she said pointing to the top ledge of the mound about 10 feet above them. "Then it trickles down to the other pools little by little and it cools as it goes which is why the one we just swam in was warm. It mixed with the natural cool water somewhere in the tunnel. I checked out the original spring but it's too hot for people, I measured it at 187 degrees. But it trickles down to form a two other small pools on the ledges. One is still really hot at 140 degrees and the second is a bit better at 120 degrees. Then when it gets all the way down here," she said as she stopped at a small pond at the bottom of the rock face, she grabbed a pebble and tossed it in to show how deep it was. "A perfect 95 degrees and it's about 12 feet deep." Ino then dropped her hand and started pulling off her shorts.

"Ino what the hell are you doing?" Ino looked over her shoulder and shot her a dumbass look.

"I have my bathing suit on underneath, I'm not bringing my cloths into water this warm." 'The nerve of her,' Sakura silently fumed. Both for making a fool out of her and for not telling her to bring a bathing suit.

"Well damn that's good for you, but I don't have-"

"Here," Ino said cutting her off as she fished something out of the bag she dragged with them and tossed some kind of cloths at her. She unfolded them and saw it was a sporty kind of swimsuit with shorts for bottoms and almost sports bra like top in black with pink trim.

"I told you before I'd take care of everything. And don't worry I won't look. Juts put your wet stuff over in a pile here by the bag," she said setting it down in a relatively dry location considering where they were. Sakura felt like a heel and her anger quickly deflated.

"Well how was I supposed to know," she said with a pout.

"You didn't that's why it's a surprise," Ino said with a smirk before turning around and looking at the warm pond in front of her. "Hurry up and change." Sakura felt a little odd having Ino turn around for her to change, but it's not like they were just two girls anymore, they were _dating_. It just wouldn't be right so soon, and she appreciated the fact Ino actually thought about it even though it almost completely slipped her mind.

Ino was twitching as she heard Sakura taking her cloths off. She was seriously happy! Sakura seemed so amazed at the date so far, and she herself was ecstatic. She caught Sakura checking her out, and she held her hand the whole way here. She didn't throw a fit when she pulled her into the cave or even swimming into the tunnel, hell she even thought Sakura looked excited! And the look of amazement on her face when they made it into this cave! 'At the rate this is going she'll fall for me in no time!' She felt her heart skip a second as she heard the zip on the front of Sakura's shirt and imagined it falling off her figure and the fact that Sakura was now topless behind her. 'Must not look! Must not look!' She wasn't trying to be a pervert, seriously. But this was the first time she was able to really let go and _let_ herself admire another woman, and seriously think about doing things with her, _serious_ things, and it was sending her hormones into overdrive.

"Ino you can turn around now." Ino couldn't help oogling her, she knew that swimsuit would look awesome on her! "Thanks again for the swimsuit, but it fits me a bit too well doesn't it? I mean how do you fit into this?" Ino shook her head not trying to turn what she just said into something dirty.

"What are you talking about? That's not mine, that's new. I got it for you for today." She started pulling off her shorts again and noticed that Sakura was trying not to pay attention to her.

"But Ino why would you go out of your way to buy me a swimsuit? I mean you didn't have to buy me one, I have one at home." Ino threw her wet shorts in the pile and pulled her shirt over her head revealing her two piece Black bikini with blue trim.

"Because that's an old one from when you were like 14 and if I told you to bring a swimsuit it wouldn't have been as big of a surprise."

"Ino if you told me to bring a swimsuit I would have thought we were going to a pool or a lake, I doubt I ever could have thought of this!" The pout on her face was so adorable!

"Oh come on stop being so mad. I wanted to get you the suit, just enjoy it! Now come on!" She grabbed Sakura's hand and before she could react jumped into the pool in front of them. The warmth enveloped the two of them and Ino let go of her hand and let herself just sink for a minute enjoying it and letting it seep into her pores. She then paddled to the surface and even though it wasn't much cooler then the water it left a chill on her face as she broke through the surface. She looked over and didn't see Sakura above the water yet.

"Sakura?" She swam in a circle but still didn't see her break the surface. "Sakura?" She was starting to get worried. She looked into the water but the water was too hot for the glowing algea and it was dark in contrast to the rest of the cave. She almost called out again when she felt two hands grab onto her legs and pull her under giving her a mouthful of water. She came back up spitting and hearing Sakura laughing her ass off at her.

"Oh yeah!" She began splashing the giggling girl and soon it was an all out splash war. Both girls were soaked and enjoying the water. The war ended up becoming a cannonball contest as one tried to soak the other that way. Then eventually they tired themselves out and leaned their top halves out of water breathing heavily trying to catch their breath in the warm water and humid air.

"Wow how did you ever find this place," Sakura asked sighing.

"It was an accident when I was looking for herbs, and I even asked around, apparently no one knows this is here," Ino said proudly.

"Well except for you and whoever else has been here."

"There's been no one else."

"Huh?" Ino didn't know if Sakura didn't believe her or was just shocked.

"I wanted to wait to bring someone special here, until now it's just been me.

"You think I'm special enough for this?" It sounded odd coming out of her mouth but she didn't know how else to say it. She knew Ino had a crush on her but she was asking, 'Am I special to you?' It was then that they both realized just how close they were. They were both hot, wet, and flush against each other. Ino felt her heart thudding loudly against her rib cage. Blue eyes locked with green and they both knew what was happening and had no intention of stopping it. Sakura felt the pull between them even as Ino's eyes were half lidded and they both drew closer. Sakura wanted to say her name, but it was lost on her lips as her own eyes closed and their lips met again both for the second and yet the first time. It was like everything had stopped and they were frozen in this time and place. The feeling of Sakura's lips on her own, her real lips, set the rest of her body on fire and Ino gasped into the kiss.

Sakura was going on instinct, letting the feel of her lips guide her, her whole body going slack and if she wasn't already holding onto the edge of the pool she might have sank. So when Ino gasped Sakura let her tongue slip across Ino's lower lip before delving inside tasting her inside and out, she was slightly sweet and warm and melted on her tongue like honey. She felt Ino's tongue slide along her own to taste her own mouth and her hand wander into her short hair pulling her closer. She couldn't remember the last time she took a breath but she couldn't pull away, her head was spinning and she didn't want to pull away. It was like the other night when she was kissing Ino henged, but somehow now knowing it was Ino she was kissing lit a fire inside her and she moaned.

The way Sakura moaned into her mouth was her undoing as she felt her grip on the edge of the pool slip and she broke the kiss abruptly. They were both a bit startled but then Sakura started giggling.

"Are you ok," Sakura said as Ino hoisted herself back up.

"I was," she said with a pout.

"Well we have been in here for a while if our skin is anything to go by," she said holding up a wrinkled hand. She was still pouting.

"I guess."

"Come on we have to leave sometime," she said trying to reason with her as she pulled herself out of the water and turned around to sit on the edge of the pool. Ino took this opportunity to swim in between her legs and lean her head up and steal a quick kiss that turned Sakura three shades of red.

"You're incorrigible," Sakura said now pouting and pulled away to get up. Ino just giggled as she pulled herself out and opened the bag again to pull out two net bags which she threw their cloths in before reorganizing and attaching her regular bag and net bag to her waist again. She helped Sakura secure her own as they made their way to the entrance of the cave and peered down to see the glow stick still there though it seemed dimmer then before. Ino didn't even have to ask if she was ready as she jumped back in and started swimming through the underwater path.

Sakura was slightly shocked in the temperature change in water compared to the warmth of before, she was still close behind not trusting the light from the waning glow sticks. She was lucky Ino had dropped a glow stick near where they came in or she might have missed it and bumped her head against the edge. Compared to the other cavern that was lit with the special algae this one was almost pitch black in comparison and it took them a few minutes to get their eyesight together and make their way out. As they pulled themselves out of the water it got even colder as they were used to the humid warmth of the inner cavern and this was at least 10 degrees cooler. And when they did leave the cave the sun was already heading for the horizon.

"Here," Ino called and Sakura turned to have a large warm towel thrown on her.

"I figure we can dry off with these on the way back to the village since I doubt our cloths will be dry anytime soon." That being said she started walking down the path again. She turned after a few dozen steps to look back at Sakura. Sakura herself couldn't help it, she was stuck. It felt like if she walked away from this place it would be like it had never happened, like it was all a dream. But she looked back at Ino smiling and waiting for her and knew it wasn't such.

"Sakura," she turned her head to her face specifically and finally the spell was broken. "Are you coming?" She didn't respond verbally, she just walked up next to Ino and took her hand as they walked back to the village.

Ino walked into her apartment and giggled to herself again, today was even better then expected! Not only did the date go awesome but she kissed Sakura, not once, not twice, but three times! She had snuck one last one on Sakura's porch as she said goodnight. The again she should have been expecting it, who wouldn't try for a goodnight kiss on a first date. 'I would and did!' She was so happy she didn't think anything could bring her down from her high. She turned the corner to throw her wet cloths in the washing machine when she saw her answer machine blinking.

"Hmm?" She went over and hit the button and heard the message play back.

"Ino it's dad. I guess you're out today. You're mom said you were hanging out with Sakura, I guess I underestimated how you girls loose time. Anyway I was hoping you could have dinner with your mom and I tomorrow, it seems like I only ever see you when you're working at the shop anymore. Love you honey." For some reason her good mood was shot to hell, the message had been innocent enough but she had a bad feeling her dad was up to something more then he was saying. The last time they had a 'talk' she'd _almost_ got into a fight with him about dating. She felt a hard knot in her stomach. 'If he knew what Sakura and I were really doing today...' She sighed and flopped back on her bed not caring if she was still damp.

"Damnit."

AN: And there you have it! It was hard trying to figure out what to do after such an important scene last chapter but I tried to follow it up well. I hope I didn't disappoint and thanks to everyone who reads and reviews!


	6. Sprout

AN: I am sorry this took so long. I was trying to make this chapter longer but I couldn't make it longer without it being forced. Then summer came and I worked, and did artist alley at three cons, and broke my ankle, and had doctors appointments, a family death, and now I think I lost a job today but I finally finished it. BTW I like doing longer chapters but then I have problems finding a cut off area. I can't guarantee but I might be able to update sooner if I have shorter chapters, what do you guys think, would you like faster updates but shorter chapters?

Caution: Some lime but not too much.

Chapter 6: Push

_'Ino so glad you could join us for dinner. I think you know Takano here, his family owns the large health food store in town. You've gone there before right?'_

_ 'Don't write him off before he's even tried, don't be an ungrateful daughter! Do this for me! For the family!'_

_ 'What were you doing blowing him off like that? After I invited him to dinner to meet you! Ino if he's not your type that's fine but do you have to be so rude? I'm doing this for you!'_

"Ino is something wrong?" Ino shook her head removing her dads voice from the other night from her head and turned to see Sakura looking at her worried.

"Yeah sorry. I just had a bad day at work yesterday, nothing to be worried about though, I'm sure today will make up for it," she said with a smirk as the line for the movies moved forward letting them buy their ticket. It had been almost two days since the fight and she'd been trying to avoid her home since then being busy in the shop and helping out at the hospital. She felt bad because she knew her mom needed her help but she couldn't be in that house anymore.

"Don't you think it's kind of cliche to watch a ninja movie when we are ninjas?" Sakura giggled and shoved her playfully as they walked inside with their tickets in hand.

"Of course not. You don't think cops watch cop movies? Anyway there's some yakuza mixed in there too, I always think the female yakuza are so bad ass. Especially their tattoos, Sai said something about giving me one once but I don't know what I'd want."

"You want a tattoo?"

"Oh come on you can't be that surprised. There were whole squads coming up with a symbol and getting tattooed during the war."

"Hmm I guess it's like you said I don't know what you'd have more then I can't imagine you with one."

"What about you? I think you'd look good with one on your arm. Or maybe your ankle."

"The ankle ones are so girly, guys already think I'm weak because of my big blue eyes and blonde hair. Maybe something on my shoulder though. I never really thought about it before. Did you want something to drink? I usually get thirsty in movies."

"Hmm we can just share, don't worry about it." They made their way into the theater to see the new movie "Blades of Promise." Sakura was really happy, she'd wanted to see the movie ever since she heard about it. She loved yakuza stories, she knew they were never as glorified as the movies made them and they were usually a lot meaner but there was still something she liked about them. She made sure when they sat down she even reached over and grabbed Ino's hand squeezing it getting the girl to blush and smile at her. Something seemed off today. They had an amazing date just three days ago and now it was like nothing was going to brighten Ino's day. She'd noticed right away and tried flirting with her and holding her hand the whole way here. She kind of wished she'd let Ino pick the movie now but they decided yesterday over the phone and she said there wasn't anything in particular she wanted to watch. She was still trying to figure a way to get her out of this funk when the lights went down and the movie started.

She watched as the credits were cut across the screen like they were being cut with knives and kunai but her mind wasn't on it. She looked over to see Ino watching but not paying much attention so she leaned her head on Ino's shoulder and couldn't help but giggled when she jumped not expecting it. Ino looked over as if to ask if this was ok in public but she just stared ahead at the movie. It was just a minute later when she felt Ino's arm fall around her shoulders and hold them close. At least Ino seemed to be paying a bit more attention now.

The movie started with two young girls around 7, one with short black hair and eyes, and one with long red hair and green eyes, they seemed to be best friends and promising to stay together forever no matter what. It was apparently because the one with red hair was leaving as a man called out to her and the two girls tearfully hugged and went their separate ways. Then it jumped ahead to 12 years later where one of the girls, the dark haired one, was getting ready on her wedding day and about to put on her dress, just to have a messenger arrive and say her skills as a ninja were needed as someone called for help. It was then revealed the one with black hair and black eyes was from a ninja clan as she packed her gear and headed out without a word to her soon to be husband. She went to the summons where she found out the one who summoned her was none other then her best friend who was forced to move away when they were kids, was now a yakuza boss but her life was being threatened by a ninja clan who wanted a cursed sword she had gotten from her father, also a yakuza boss, when he died.

Ino snuck a peek over at Sakura and saw the girl absolutely eating the story up. While it had an ok plot line so far there was nothing spectacular about the movie. She let her hand slide down to Sakura's shoulder and rub it slightly seeing if she could get the girl's attention. 'Nothing?' She already had her arm around her and was rubbing it and her head was on her shoulder. 'What do you do if the girl you're trying to kiss is oblivious?'

The movie continued on about how the blade was cursed from when the head of two clans, a man and woman, wanted to be married but the clans fought about it and eventually went to war. They were forced to kill once another and after the woman killed her lover she killed her entire clan and herself cursing the blade. The curse would kill anything that would stand between the wielder and it's love or they would kill themselves and their lover three days later. So far no one had been able to break the curse and it had claimed dozens.

'Maybe if I look at her she'll notice and look at me?' Ino slowly turned her head to face Sakura but found it was awkward with Sakura's head on her shoulder. She stared at the top of her head for a minute willing Sakura to look at her but the kunoichi was oblivious. She sighed silently and turned back to the movie willing to admit defeat for the time being.

And back to the movie: Of course no one actually wanted to use the blade but don't want it being used by anyone else either. In the end the ninja had her weapon taken away and in order to save her friend she had to use the only available blade, the cursed one. Apparently when you were cursed for using the blade a mark of a black lotus appears on your wrist and you have three days to break it. The ninja didn't know what to do because she didn't think there was anything standing between her and her fiance and didn't want them both to die. The plot twist was pretty decent, although the girl never saw it the yakuza woman was in love with her friend and she had intentionally waited until her wedding day to call for help to try and keep her from being married. So she had an unrequented love for the young woman. The ninja ran home to be married but the curse was still upon them until the end of the third day when the yakuza friend finally admitted what she had done and that she loved her and told her friend to kill her. The ninja friend wouldn't, she would rather die, and so the yakuza fought her seriously forcing her to fight for her life and then the yakuza let herself be impaled on the sword, and stole a kiss from her friend before leaving this world.

The movie was supposed to be very romantic with the yakuza as the villan, but Sakura felt herself tearing up as the yakuza woman died in the young ninja's arms. In the end she went home with her husband and as they lay in bed together she asked if they could name their daughter after the woman, because it was revealed she had willing gone to her death and left everything including her gang to the young woman. So now she was a ninja yakuza...kinda.

As the credits started rolling Ino looked over to see Sakura wiping a few tears from her eyes quickly wiping them away. "Don't worry," she whispered getting Sakura's attention. "We don't have to leave right away, here," she said handing her a handkerchief which she quickly took and dabbed at her face. Ino had wanted to use the movie as a distraction to get closer with Sakura, maybe a few kisses, but the girl had been so wrapped up in the movie she had ignored any advances she tried. 'I guess I just gotta take it slow.'

Sakura finished dabbing her eyes. Most ninja would be ashamed to get so emotional at the movies but this was one of the things she let her guard down for. She looked over to see Ino glancing around watching everyone else leaving. She felt kind of bad, she had noticed Ino trying to get her attention a few times but she was compelled to watch the movie to the end. That and she was kind of worried about someone catching them together in the theater. 'I do feel bad though, she seems down today, maybe...maybe I could make it up to her.'

"Hey Ino do you work tomorrow?"

"Not until the afternoon shift, why?" Sakura felt a bit shy but wasn't going to back out now. 'Back then...when she looked at me...I kind of wanted to kiss her too.'

"Do you want to come over for a little bit? I know it's kind of late but I figured we could just hang out for a bit." Even though she was trying to get it to come out smooth she knew her face was pink and she couldn't make eye contact with her.

"Yeah, but are you sure you're ok with that?" 'Are you sure you're ok with this?' Is more like what Ino was asking.

"Yeah, of course, I'm the one who asked you." Ino gave a wide smile that reached her eyes and got up holding her hand out to the slightly shorter girl. Sakura was glad, it was one of the brightest smiles she'd seen all day and she kind of missed it. She reached out and took Ino's hand leading the way to her apartment holding hands the whole way. They rambled on about the movie and how they would have been much better for the ninja part but inside Sakura was a mess. She was completely nervous, her heart was fluttering and her stomach was twisting in knots. She was inviting Ino back to her place but she wasn't sure what would happen when they got there. Would they just sit and talk like that one night or would they get more physical like last time? The thing is, she was kind of leaning towards the latter. But should she lead since she invited Ino back or should she leave it to Ino? She'd made out with a few guys before and she wasn't a novice but she also had never been the one putting the moves on someone she was the one who the moves were put on. Ino's hand in her own felt so soft and she vaguely remembered how soft her lips had been that night.

"Sakura?"

"Huh?"

"I was saying we're here but you were zoning out so I had to call your name."

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking about that ending again." Ino gave her a look that said she clearly didn't believe her but wasn't going to push it. Sakura stepped around her and unlocked the door letting her in and following behind. She was still completely nervous and felt her heart trying to beat it's way out of her chest as she saw Ino bend over to take her sandles off. Sakura like to think she wasn't impulsive and she was calm and collected, but that was only when it came to being a medic, after all she wasn't on team Kakashi for nothing.

Ino had just turned around from taking her sandles off when she was trapped against the wall by Sakura who's face was flushed and her hands reaching for the side of her face. Sakura's eyes were half lidded and the last thing she saw before Sakura's lips reached her own. 'So soft, so warm.' She instantly had her arms wrapped around Sakura's shoulders pulling her closer, feeling the warmth between them as the lips slid across one another.

Ino hesitantly slipped her tongue between her lips and licked across Sakura's setting Sakura's nerves on fire. She opened her lips allowing Ino entrance and also sliding her own tongue out to wrap around the other girl's. Ino felt her consciousness drift into a fog as instead of thinking she only _felt._ She felt the warmth of Sakura's hands on her face and sliding through what bit of hair wasn't pulled up. She felt her warm moist lips on her own, hot breaths of air on her face when they pulled back only to lip lock again a second later. Felt her hot body pressed up against her own. For a minute Ino thought she was having a dream, a very vivid wet dream. She felt her knees begin to weaken as her body got hotter. She pulled back far enough to keep Sakura at bay for a second.

"Can we sit?" It came out more of a pant then a question but Sakura took the hint and led them over to a couch which Ino quickly sat down on pulling Sakura down to sit on her lap. Any worries about if Sakura was ok with it were dashed out the window as she made herself comfortable on Ino's lap and ran her hand through the blonde's hair to pull her hair tie out and let her hair flow down her back as their lips met again hot, wet, and moist.

Ino let her hands roam over the other girl's body starting at her shoulders and sliding down to her waist puller her more forward crushing their chests together. Ino groaned as she felt her nipples harden under her bindings. She let her hands slide over Sakura's tight ass and squeeze slightly getting no protest and if the groan was anything to go by, she'd even say she liked it. The heat was becoming unbearable and she didn't know how Sakura could stand it by this point. She was a bit worried about if she was going too far but figured Sakura would tell her if she wanted to stop. She pulled back enough to slide her hand between the two of them and grab a hold of the zipper on the front of Sakura's shirt and slowly pull it down parting the top. Sakura seemed to hesitate for a moment and looked Ino in the eye, her cheeks still pink and still panting before she leaned forward, a little hesitant, to once again close the gap between their lips. Ino took this as a sign and slid her hand onto the bare skin of her stomach and slowly reach her way up to the bindings holding her chest tight. Thankfully after putting one on for years she knew just the trick to loosen it. In a moment the bindings slid to her waist leaving Sakura's smaller pert breasts and hardened nipples for her to see.

Sakura felt cool air over her chest as she peered down to see Ino had removed her breast bindings and felt her bare chest being stared at. She had given Ino the go ahead but this was different. Ino was a woman and as such she knew more about how a woman felt, how they like to feel, where they like to feel. All these things she was doing to her body were causing the lust pooling between her thighs to drip down her thigh, which she hoped Ino hadn't felt yet. Every touch, every caress, every moan was setting her body on fire. She knew she should stop it before it went too far but the lust was clouding her mind. The cool air was a relief but she should have known Ino wouldn't leave it there as Ino's mouth left her own.

She felt a wet tongue slide along her hardened nipple and felt a jolt of pleasure shoot through her body. She groaned as Ino's other hand went to her left breast grabbing the handful and sliding the hardened nipple in the nook between her fingers rolling and softly squeezing the breast. Her tongue continued to circle the nipple before her teeth softly closed around it giving just enough pressure to have Sakura biting on her knuckles to keep from crying out as she tried not to rub against Ino's lap, her core aching for friction. Ino released the nub from her mouth before latching her soft lips around it drawing the peak of her breast into her mouth rolling her tongue around the nipple once again in her mouth. Sakura couldn't help the wanton cry that escaped her or how she ground her hips against Ino's own. She felt so hot and so good, but she was afraid if this continued she would burn up, this was going a bit fast.

Sakura slid her hand into Ino's hair and grabbed it softly pulling Ino's head away from her breast. Ino wasn't sure why but pulled back as Sakura pulled her lips back to her own. Sakura felt her nerves trying to get the best of her as her hands slowly made their way to the bottom of Ino's shirt grabbing the bottom and slowly pulling it up, pulling away from the kiss only long enough to toss it on the couch behind them. Ino was more then willing to comply and probably would have taken her own bindings off too for her but she was letting Sakura lead. The fact Sakura wanted her was more of an aphrodesiac then anything else she could have tried. She slowly slid her hands over Ino's breasts that were still bound, feeling her hard nipples under the tight fabric. She let her hands slide around to the back to undo the bindings, and though not as fast a few moments later the fabric fell to the couch near Ino's top. Sakura pulled back and looked at her, she felt a bit embarrassed as Ino was much more well endowed then her, but it was soon replaced by her lust and curiosity. It was one thing to feel your own breasts and know how good it feels. It's another to fondle someone else's breasts and give them the same kinf of pleasure. She was taking her time but Ino didn't seem to mind, her eyes were still half lidded and her face pink as she was still panting slightly.

Sakura started out slowly reaching both hands out to touch Ino's breasts. Ino was a bit more then a handful but Sakura didn't think she minded as Ino closed her eyes still panting. She was surprised at the softness of the skin and how responsive Ino was, she would flick a thumb over a nipple and Ino would whine slightly. She would squeeze softly and get a soft groan. She let her hands play over the supple skin feeling a sheen of sweat forming on her chest. She finally leaned forward and let her tongue slip out and lick the hardened nub of Ino's right breast getting a mew from her and felt Ino's hands in her hair, on her shoulder, along her back, rubbing along her spine. Sakura pulled her hands back for just a second for Ino to actually take her unzipped top off. She let her tongue play with the hard flesh enjoying the sounds Ino was making and letting her mouth play over the breast softly.

The sounds Ino was making and the way her soft flesh felt against her hands and mouth was causing the heat between her legs to ache in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. It was all a blur of skin, sweat, kissing, and panting. Sakura knew if she didn't slow things down they were going to go a lot faster then she wanted. Eventually the kisses slowed and the touches turned into pets and Sakura eventually just pulled back to look at Ino as they both sat there panting. Sakura sitting on Ino's lap, as they both got their bearring straight as it seemed their heads had been stuffed with cotton.

"Ino, that was intense. I haven't made out like that since I was a teenager." Ino's head fell back against the couch and she groaned. "What."

"Jeez you have no feel for the mood. I was going to tell you how fiery your eyes looked and then you'd say something similar and we'd cuddle for another half hour, but you had to be crude."

"I am not! There's no way you weren't thinking something along the same lines."

"I might have thought it but that wasn't the mood," she said with a pout.

"Fine. Ino the way you're hair looks flowing around you is like an angels halo." She said it with all sincerity and for all Ino knew she might have meant it, but the mood was already gone.

"Geez," she said and giggled as she grabbed a couch pillow and whaped her upside the head and the girl fell off her lap onto the couch giggling as well.

"Come on you knew which team I was on, you should have expected it."

"I was hoping as the only female _you_ might be different."

"I am, I am much sexier."

"I don't know that sexy no justu Kakashi-sensei did at the party was pretty good."

"Ino how could you," she said holding her hand to her chest in mock hurt, though it didn't really work considering she was topless. Instead Ino just giggled and fell over backwards onto the couch, each at opposite ends with their legs tangled in the middle.

"Ne Ino," she said looking over at the other girl getting her to look back. "I like it when you smile." For some reason that once sentence made her entire upper body flush and she really didn't know how to reply at first.

"Then make sure you come around more," she said though she averted her eyes. 'That girl really can't read the mood.'

AN: Sorry if it wasn't as great as the last one. This was kind of a filler before something else happens which is why I think I was having so much trouble with it. I really hope I can update this again soon.


	7. Spring

AN: Sorry it took so long for this to get out. Like I keep saying I have 3 part time jobs and go to school so whenever I get a free second I sleep THEN I try and write. Sorry I work horribly when I have no sleep. I also had problems trying to flesh out Ino's half. I wanted to do two halves from both their perspectives but Sakura just had more going on. Anyway I hope you enjoy for as long as it took me to get it out.

Chapter 7: Spring

Sakura sighed as she looked down at her mostly uneaten lunch and wrapped up what was left and put it in a take out lunch bag to give to whoever to eat back at the hospital, her mind and apatite were gone at the moment. Her lunch shift at the hospital had only just begun, and she'd wandered out to a small restaurant for some lunch sitting at the bar for quicker service, and she still had almost a whole hour left. The warm mid-summer air was broken by a slight breeze, a few clouds dotting the sky. The weather was fine, she only had a 10 hour shift today and most of her patients today were small things like minor cuts and sprains, nothing wearing at all. She should would normally be enjoying a day like this and be planning on going out or just going to enjoy the good weather with a night stroll. Unfortunately her mood was damp and she felt lackluster, as it was this had become the norm for her the last week, ever since Ino had left.

_It was only two days after their last date and they were supposed to go out the next night, when there was a knock on the door waking her out of her light sleep. She looked over at her clock before pulling her bedsheets back and grudgingly pulled herself out of bed wincing as her feet hit the cold floor. 'It's almost two in the morning, who is it? Crap I hope it's not Kakashi-sempai again coming in at all hours ripped to shreds. I swear one day he's going to try coming here and I won't be here and when someone finds him and drags him to the hospital shishou is going to rip him a new one.' Even though the war was over and _most _countries decided to make peace they were still at ends with Iwa and every now and then something came up. Then there were always skirmishes between villages that ninja were pulled into. Even after the world almost ends some people still held grudges, thankfully the times her teammates showed up on her doorstep was much less frequent and seemed to be a thing of the past. Still exasperated she sighed and made her way to her door not even bothering to read the chakra signal on the other side. She opened her door and was surprised to see instead of her former sensei, Ino. The girl was dressed in full gear including flack vest. Even though she looked fine she could tell Ino had also probably been woken up not to long ago and told to get up._

"_Ino what are you doing here?" It wasn't just the fact the kunoichi was on her door this time of night, but also her field gear and her awakening in the middle of the night. 'What's going on?' She was instantly awake._

"_Sorry I know it's late but I didn't want to just leave a note." She rubbed the back of her head almost bashfully and smiled though it didn't quite reach her eyes._

"_Ino?" 'What is it,' she begged the girl to tell her with her eyes._

"_I got a mission, shouldn't be long, a week, two at most. But I'll be out of the village and wanted to let you know." She looked Sakura in the eyes so she could tell Ino wasn't lying, but she also wasn't telling her much. She felt a little worried and felt the fear squeezing down on her heart. Even though they had gone to war together, and even though she knew the fear behind having a teammate or good friend run into unknown danger, the fear seemed to sneak up on her when she wasn't expecting it. _

"_But why, and where? Don't tell me you're going to I-" Ino quickly covered her mouth and looked back and forth, even though you didn't see anyone out and about, they were in a ninja village._

"_Sorry confidential, that's why my team is going in." If anything Sakura seemed even more worried. "I can't tell you much but I promise it's nothing to worry about, I'll be back in no time ok?" The way Ino looked at her, her eyes were begging her to not worry and when she smiled at Sakura this time it did reach her eyes. _

"_Ino...please...be careful." While they were both ninja and this was nothing new, the war was still in the back of their minds and thinking of everyone they had lost, how many good byes were said this way only to never have a welcome back..._

"_Promise, and when I get back I'll make sure to take you out, no matter what." It might have been a gut reaction, it could have been nerves or worry, but without a second thought Sakura leaned up and pulled Ino's face to hers sealing their lips. Ino almost fell over in shock but quickly recovered and leaned into the kiss. It was slightly off center, wet, and hasty, but it was also warmth, hope, and raw emotion. This was the closest they'd come to a public display of affection even though they were only in the hallway outside Sakura's apartment, and it made her heart ache. It was only a moment before they both pulled away, and then Ino nodded._

"_Good night."_

"_Be safe."_

"_For you, always." And then she was gone..._

It had been eight days since then. She had tried to fool herself into thinking Ino might be done earlier and come home before the week was up to surprise her just to set up some kind of surprise date when she got home. She had tried to keep up the though but last night she gave up on that idea, and her hope was now slowly slipping to worry. Even though she had said it might be two weeks at the most, it was now slowly moving that way. And if it was over two weeks then it would still be a week before they sent another party after them if it was anything less then A-rank. She didn't even know what rank it was, but for it to be confidential it would have to be fairly high ranked. 'I should have at least asked that she might have been able to tell me the rank. But would she? If it was a high rank she might have lied just so I wouldn't worry. But would she do that?' She had one hell of a headache, she held her head for a moment before fishing out a bottle of aspirin she'd taken to keeping in her coat as of lately.

She popped a couple of tablets before finishing the glass of water. It was so odd something this simple seemed to be making her a wreck. She had to keep reminding herself the war was over, there didn't seem to be any real concern or extremely dangerous missions as of late so it didn't seem like fighting was even brewing. As it was before and during the war she had more important things to worry about like her teammate being harvested for the nine tailed fox inside of him, or being killed by the enemy masquerading as their allies, or worse the unknown status of one Uchiha Sasuke. It might have just been the fact this was the first time someone she was dating had left on a dangerous mission. 'Well potentially dangerous, I don't know a damn thing about it.' It was probably something stupid like a new formula for an ultra-potent sake or something the hokage had to have. She snorted out loud, as stupid as it was it was plausible. 'You have got to chill out,' she thought as she sipped on her soda, the ice clinking as it melted and hit the glass. 'Ino is a medic nin, as well as a damn good chunin, and she has Shikamaru and Choji on her team, there's no way they'll let anything happen to her.' She was fairly surprised to hear someone calling her name and turned around in her seat to see a blonde coming her way, not the blonde she was hoping for, but one she loved nonetheless.

"Sakura-chan, man it seems like it's been forever since I saw you," he said and easily sat on the stool beside her at the bar. His sunny personality seemed to finally help lift her happier mood even if only a bit.

"You mean three weeks Naruto?"

"It's only been three weeks since the party?"

"About."

"I swear it was longer then that."

"Maybe it's because you're so busy you can't buy a calender."

"I have plenty of calenders."

"Do you use them."

"Kind of..." The way his face was turning pink made her giggle. The easy banter between them helped put her nerves a bit more at ease. They paused for a second as the waitress came to get his order. She snuck a glace at the clock watching the time, she had actually been late coming back from lunch the other day because she was zoning out and let the hour and a half fly by before she knew it, she had to be more careful. She turned back to her friend as the waitress left them.

"I get it, the calenders, they're at Hinata's right," she asked picking up where she left off. For once he was quiet which was all the answer she needed and laughed as his face turned a light shade of pink.

"Sakura-chan," he whined.

"Oh come on it's just too fun to tease you. How are you guys anyway? Should I be getting ready to be an aunt?" The look on his face changed instantly from embarrassed to plain fear.

"Aunt? Oh hell no! What are you thinking, her father would kill me if it happened before marriage!"

"Oh so you're getting married?"

"No! Yes! Not yet! Errr maybe eventually." The stuttering blonde's face was now a deep red and Sakura was laughing her ass off on the stool next to him.

"Calm down, calm down, I'm just teasing." He actually 'hmphed' at her. "Sorry it's just so fun when I can actually tease you. Anyway how is Hinata? I haven't seen her much recently at the hospital." Hinata wasn't specifically a medic-nin but with her byakugan she was very talented and she was trying to convince the girl to work a few shifts a week at the clinic to learn more.

"Yeah right now she's organizing everything for when whirlpool gets started and the branch house moves out there. She's also trying to call in some favors to help get more financial backing."

"Really? I thought with Tazuna and Inari and pretty much their whole town backing you it wouldn't be so much of a problem. I mean to have two of the best carpenters in wave volunteer to help with the construction for nearly nothing, I bet a few villages are pretty jealous."

"Even so we still need a lot of money. I don't want to half ass it and just make an outpost and then make a village. I actually already have the plans drawn up for the whole village, including stores, government buildings, schools, and even a clinic, well at least to start. I want a hospital but it might not happen for the first couple years. I even started talking to some of the store owners here about them moving or building branch shops. I'm still trying to get Ichiraku, but the old man isn't sure he wants to send Ayame out there." Sakura had to giggle at that, the thing is he would come all the way back to Konoha for their ramen if they didn't move. Hell he'd probably invent a jutsu to instantly teleport him there.

"Well I guess that is you,it's all or nothing."

"Damn straight!" It was then his own food came and in Naruto fashion he started gulping it down like a starving man, Sakura pulled out her own barely eaten lunch and nibbled on it a bit. She had no doubt her friend would really do it just like he said. The enthusiasm in his voice as he talked about the plans and everything they were achieving, it was amazing. They would do it and she had always hoped to be by his side but now, she wasn't sure, she was being pulled in another direction and she didn't know if she should stay her ground or go. She felt herself starting to drift off again when Naruto, already finished with lunch, called her attention back.

"Ne Sakura-chan, can I ask you something?"

She hmmmed in acknowledgment as she popped another piece of food in her mouth.

"Are you seeing someone?" ...and she promptly choked. It took her a minute to hack up the obstruction to her lung and look over at him with her eyes watery.

"What? Naruto you're seeing Hinata!" He jumped back afraid she was going to deck him if he stayed within her vicinity.

"What! No! No! Not me! I just meant lately...you've seemed really...well...happy. Not that you weren't before, but it just seems like something changed, so I thought..." He was fishing for the right words and kind of just let it trail off. She wasn't sure how to answer that, she wasn't really ready to go public about her thing with Ino, but if even Naruto had noticed a change in her...without her knowledge her cheeks became a dusty pink as her silence seemed to speak louder then words.

"Ne Sakura-chan don't worry about it, if you don't wanna say anything that's fine."

"Nah it's fine it's just kind of funny and a bit embarrassing." He stared at her waiting to continue as she cleared her throat again still feeling a tickle. "Tsunade-sama had a talk with me after the war about figuring out what's important to me, I happened to walk by the flower shop..." She didn't notice it herself but she was staring out in space again like she was earlier kind of drifting and Naruto had a feeling something was going on. "I realized even though we're on good terms Ino and I haven't been friends since we were kids and so we started our friendship back up, no more name calling or anything like that, it's really nice. After all the war took a lot from all of us I guess our friendship has become all that more important..."

She didn't have to say it for him to know what they were talking about. Many of them had lost friends and comrades during the war. Kiba had lost his older sister, Shino his mother, though the one that hit them all closest to home was Lee. Lee had been trying to hold a couple hundred of the zetsu's at bay while they got the wounded back to the medical tents. But somehow...he was cut off and surrounded, Gai went to help him and they ended up opening the 'Gates.' They defeated them, after a body count almost 1,432 in total, but at a high cost. There was no way to heal them after opening all of the gates the way they did, they had forced them, and there was no helping them. Gai died on the field before any of the medics could get to him, but Lee...died in Sakura's arms. She tried so many different methods and all kinds of transfusions and medicines but nothing could help him, all she could do was stay with him in the end, even if she was professional about it and continued healing after he was gone, Naruto knew later that night and probably many after it affected her. He shook his head trying to dismiss the thoughts, they had to keep living for those who they lost trying to protect their home.

"Anyway I gotta get going, Tsunade-sama wants to talk to me about a mission, first real high rank in a while." He laid money on the bar and they both stood leaving the building.

"A high ranking mission?" 'Ino.' A pair of blue eyes and blond hair automatically popped into her head. "Do you know where? I haven't heard of anything major going on." 'Is something starting again? Does it have to do with Ino's mission?' She mentally slapped herself trying to get a hold of herself. Ino was a ninja, she could take care of herself, and Sakura felt like some kind of civilian worrying about her like she was. It hadn't even been two weeks yet!

"Hmm I'm not sure, I only heard a rumor from Kakashi-sensei but I think it might be some crap in Iwa, I swear those guys are just mad for no reason. The kage fought with us and is trying to get a treaty signed but the whole rest of the country is still sore about the 2nd ninja war. Some people know how to hold a grudge."

"Says you, they have a long history with Konoha and not much is good. You should really know this kind of stuff if you're trying to be a kage." He gave her the same look he gave Iruka-sensei in the academy when he was being lectured. She in turn sighed but gave up, he would learn somehow, though probably the hard way. They made it to a crossroad in town, the hospital to the south, his destination apparently to the west as they went to part ways.

"Anyway I'll see you later Sakura-chan!"

"Later, tell Hinata hi for me." He took off quickly taking to the rooftops to avoid civilians. She still had 15 minutes before she had to be back for her shift, so she just walked the streets to the hospital. 'I really need something to distract me, it feels like my head is going to explode if I keep thinking nonstop and in circles.' She sighed and stopped to look up and see a small path leading off the main road. 'A temple.' That's right, there was a small temple this way, nothing very big and barely kept up, but...

She made her way up the slightly overgrown rock path leading up to the small temple. It was wooden, old, and looked like it had seen better days. She walked up the few steps, the wood groaning in protest until she made it to the top, she went up to the alter outside and closed her eyes clapping her hands a few times throwing up a silent prayer, 'please keep Ino safe.' She felt the warm breeze wash over her and for the first time in many days she felt a little bit of peace.

"Hmmm?" Ino hummed and turned around to look to the dark woods behind them looking back and forth and seeing nothing. The breeze shifted, warm against her skin, but light enough to feel good. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to meet the bored gaze of her teammate.

"Something up Ino?" She shook her head back and forth in the negative. She felt stupid for letting him sneak up on her.

"No, just..." She looked back down the empty forest path. "I thought I heard my name..." More specifically she thought she heard _her_ call her name. He continued to give her a blank look before pulling out his pack of smokes and pulling one out to light up.

"We just got done with a break about an hour ago, we don't need to stop again already do we?" She gave him a scathing look. She walked around him and didn't wait for him, but heard him walking behind her and eventually beside her. Their mission to Iwa seemed to be taking longer then they wanted but they had to be thorough. The Leaf village was on good terms with the kage but his people were another story altogether. They felt cheated since after the war the Leaf got more jinchuriki then any of the other countries and thought they were trying to prepare for some kind of fight, maybe even try to take control of the five great nations. Or so the rumors were spreading amongst some of the people of Iwa who were still holding grudges from the war before. It was ridiculous but some of the villagers who were more gullible were eating it up and according to rumors were trying to get a people's army together to try and take on Konoha, or worse, kidnap the jinchuriki.

At this point all of the containers except Naruto and Bee were all infants or toddlers, and the beasts were divided among the villages but all of the containers were children of their villages. They would be kidnapping Konoha children. And really one of the main reasons Konoha had _two_ wasn't because they wanted more power but because when looking for containers it happened to be a pair of twins who were compatible. There was always the belief that twins sometimes have special almost psychic connections so they thought to try and balance out the power and burden one had to bear they would have they both become containers for the 3 and 4 tails respectively. The kages all knew this information and were fine with this but with so much misinformation few villagers knew the truth and even fewer believed it. Which was why they were trudging around the outskirts of Iwa with permission from the kage to try and pick up on any rumors about this supposed army and any threats to Konoha.

"I'm not tired, I must have just been hearing things. Jeez, as a shinobi we're supposed to be alert and I was making sure there really wasn't anything following us." He gave her a wry smile, she might have been a good liar when it came to anyone else, but not him, not them.

"How troublesome. Anyway we're almost done, once we confirm the info tonight we can head home and be back in three days. You've been really wanting to get home haven't you?" She controlled her blush thankfully but couldn't meet his eyes, not when all she could think of were a certain pair of green ones.

"Maybe." She couldn't lie but that didn't mean she had to tell him the whole truth. She didn't have to look at him to know he had that amused look on his face like he did when figuring out a puzzle.

"I don't mind if you don't tell me as long as you're not lying to yourself." She couldn't help the smile that graced her lips. If she was into guys she might actually have went for her teammate, but she couldn't see him as anything more then a brother. 'He can read me like an open book. But I guess someone in this world needs to be able to.' She fell into step behind him as they continued down the narrow forest path and saw the outline of their third teammate waiting for them to come into view before he turned and walking ahead to scout.

"Anyway the village we're heading to, it's supposed to be a rural farming village with a small amount of fishing from a river nearby. So no shinobi, no hired mercenaries, so anyone threatening _should_ stick out like a sore thumb. I really hope it's nothing because if it's not..." He didn't have to continue and she stared ahead all joking aside.

"If it's not then it smells of a trap." She sighed and closed her eyes before looking over at him. "Really though who would want to be picking fights already? We just helped save the world less then a year ago and someone's already starting shit."

"I'm not going to say it's not true." He took to take a puff from his cigarette before continuing. "But we don't know if there is anything to this mission or just people overreacting. But the thing is regardless of how happy we are that there's this kind of peace going on right now, there are plenty of people though who want to take advantage of this because no one's expecting it and no one will want to go right back to fighting. This peace is only temporary, eventually the world will go back to how it was, though maybe with a little more understanding, if we're lucky." She sighed and glanced around again not detecting any other chakra but still keeping a look out. Something in the back of her mind was prickling and something seemed off, but she couldn't put her finger on what. 'Man I just really want to get home already. This mission is starting to get to me.'

"Is it really so much though to want to keep it peaceful just a little longer?" Shikamaru stopped walking and ground the butt of his cigarette on the ground before picking it up and putting it in his pocket.

"That's why we're doing this isn't it? To try and keep the peace just a little longer."

"It would just be nice if we could enjoy a bit of what we're fighting for."

"We can, when we get home, so come on."

"I can't believe _you_ are telling _me_ to hurry, the irony." He didn't say anything and took up a slightly quicker pace placing himself in the middle of the three man group with Ino taking up the rear. Talking with Shikamaru seemed to help her a bit. It sucked to be thinking about fighitng starting up so soon again, but if that's what it took then that's what would have to happen. 'I guess maybe I've just been taking my time off for granted, if this was a year ago I wouldn't even have time to think about dating.' She smiled to herself and stretched her limbs above her head hearing a crack in her shoulder. 'I guess I'm just really lucky, and I gotta make sure to come back on time or Sakura's going to have a hissy fit. She might even be mad enough she won't go out with me, and I'll have to do something to make it up to her. Hmm, maybe I should get her a gift just in case on the way home, to preempt it.' She stopped for a second, and turned to scan behind her, still no chakra, but the feeling she had was different. Earlier she thought she'd heard Sakura's voice and felt a calmness over her. Now...she had goosebumps and the hair on the back of her neck was on end. But no matter how much she scanned or watched nothing jumped out at her. Except...'There's no chakra...anywhere! Where are the animals?' She felt her heart tighten like it was being squeezed. 'But what if...'

"Hmmm..." She put her hands together in the boar sign and channeled her chakra. "Kai!" In an instant she felt her stomach drop and her voice stuck in her throat. She felt her heart leap in her throat and it was all she could do to signal her teammates before her yell was cut off.

AN: I hope you enjoyed and I hope I can get the next one out sooner.


	8. Expand

AN: Sorry this took so long to get out. I had about 90% of ti done but was having trouble finishing it. I have a lot on my plate, these are my priorities: School, job 1, job 2, job 3, fanfics. So while it's in the top five school and my jobs come first. I only have two more semesters so I hope I can write a bit more after I finish. Sorry again about the wait and thanks to everyone who continues to read even with the long wait.

Chapter 8: Expand

Sakura yawned and stretched her arms far above her head letting her body slowly relax. The sun was still up but heading towards the horizon at a slow pace, it would be gone within an hour or so, and another day would be gone. Sakura sighed and tried to push the gnawing in her gut to the back of her head. For some reason yesterday when she had gone to the small temple and gave a prayer instead of feeling some kind of peace instead she had a feeling of unease that seemed to be growing worse and she didn't know what to make of it. It'd not like her instincts were always the best but she'd never had a feeling like this before, of almost impending dread. 'My mind is running away with me, I'm usually more practical then this.' She organized the last few charts on her desk and filed them away grabbing her bag as she made her way out the door closing it and locking it behind her. She waved at a few of her co-workers as they came on shift while she was finally off. Someone had called in today because they're daughter was sick so she worked an 18 hour shift instead of the normal 10 hours, but it couldn't be helped. At least they let half her day be clinic duty so she didn't completely run out of chakra.

She walked through the hospital door and paused as a warm breeze caressed her face. The weather was perfect, just warm enough to be comfortable without the breeze being too chilly. 'I just need to relax tonight, put everything out of my head. Maybe I'll go to the hot springs. It's always so relaxing at night, especially with a full moon. With that in mind she set off for home walking the streets with no real hurry behind her steps. Because she helped pick up a shift today they were only giving her a half shift tomorrow so she could sleep in and try to regain more chakra. That and she was never a morning person, not that she couldn't function in the morning, but if she had her say she'd be in bed warm and sleeping til about 10 or 11. She got home and changed from her kunoichi outfit to a comfortable pair of black shorts and a red tank top and gathered her bathing bag. She stopped to check her mail but saw nothing of importance, though there was an article in the paper apparently about plans for four months from now moving the first group of citizens from Konoha to the newly formed Whirlpool. It would be about 300 people from Konoha along with the builders and other support from other countries. The builders would be there about a month before hand to do ground breaking and then the new citizens would help. She skimmed over the article and smiled feeling happy for her friend and felt a bit of worry at wondering how much longer she could go without answering him. She needed to figure out just what she planned on doing. 'I'll just deal with that later.' She felt a bit guilty as this is what she always did every time she thought about it, but she just needed to unwind right now. Maybe she'd ask Ino's opinion when she got back.

She grabbed her bag and small wallet and exited back out the front door locking it behind her and noticing the sun was now just touching the horizon and making it's decent behind it. The full moon was already out and fully visible even with the suns still bright light playing across the sky vying for dominance against it's nocturnal sister. The crickets had started chirping a lot more loudly and harmoniously sometime after when she had went inside and she admired the few lightning bugs that dared to venture inside the village where small children liked to capture them. It wasn't a long walk as she let her mind wanger, and before she knew it she was at the hot springs settling her things in a locker and wrapping a towel around her and making her way outside. There weren't many women here tonight. A mother and daughter, a grandmother who looked like she was just getting out, and one other woman, a kunoichi, chunin if she remembered right. She washed up on the stool letting the water rinse the days grime and sweat away and instantly felt more unwound. She stood to get into the hot water and noticed the old woman had indeed gone as Sakura made her way to the side and let her legs slowly crawl into the hot water. She felt instant relief as she eased her way little by little into the hot water letting it seep into her skin, muscles, and bone. She let the heat envelope her and sooth away her worries and comfort her with it's warmth. After seeping into her body the heat seemed to numb her body to any feeling but the warmth.

After a few minutes in the water she made her way across the small pool to a far side to sit on an underwater ledge and look up at the moon glowing in the sky now that the sun had finally gone down. She stared at it for a minute, the warmth from the water letting her mind wander, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. The warmth made her head foggy, but she was enjoying it, until it brought back an all too familiar recent memory. 'Ino.' The underground hot water pool that Ino had shared with her hidden deep under water. She felt her heart ache and blushed feeling a bit ridiculous. 'Come on she's on a mission not avoiding you, you need to grow up Sakura.' She tried to push the unease to the back of her mind again but it was difficult as the water, as soothing as it was, was also rejuvenating her recent memories with Ino whom she was trying to not think about right now. It was so odd to think even though she'd dated before she'd never really taken them seriously before, there were too many other important things in front of her. 'I wonder if Ino would have asked me out before the war if I would be as worried as I am now, or if she would have just been another ex.' She sighed slightly annoyed her mind wouldn't relax like the rest of her body.

She opened her eyes for a moment when she heard someone come out onto the washing area. She noticed it was a chunin, Aria, if she remembered right, she'd worked with her once or twice at the tower. She almost went back to spacing out when she noticed the blood on part of her arms. She watched the woman wash it off and saw no actual wounds. She wasn't one to usually be nosy but if it wasn't her blood...

"Hey Aria," she called out and saw the young woman turn in her direction, she was glad she actually remembered her name. "Where did you come from? You get in a fight?"

"Huh? Oh no I was on guard duty," she said picking up the pail and using it to suds up a rag.

"Guard duty? How did you get yourself coated in blood on guard duty?" The woman set to washing away the blood on her arm, the suds turning pink as she lathered up and rinsed them away.

"Oh it's not mine."

"Obviously."

"Oh heh, sorry! No a team came in wounded and I helped get them to the hospital, I would have just gone home to wash but last time I stained the tub so-"

"What team?" She felt her heart jump into her throat when she said a team came in wounded. There weren't many teams out on any mission that should be dangerous, but since she didn't know what Ino's mission was...

"Oh jeez what team number were thet again? They were that one group you know? They were all friends from really young, or there dads were or something?" Her focus narrowed in on the woman in front of her and she felt darkness creeping at the edge of her vision as she tried to keep her heart from racing out of control.

"Ino-shika-cho team," she asked her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah that's it," she said. "The guys weren't so bad but the kunoichi was really bad off, she came in unconscious but that might have been for the best." Sakura wasn't aware of the chill of the air when she got out of the water, hell she wasn't even aware of getting out of the water, she might have been vaguely aware of Aria calling out to her. The next thing she was actually aware of was her foot hitting the edge of a roof as she made her way up and over the village heading straight for the hospital at break neck speed. She was only aware of this because apparently she had forgotten to grab her shoes, though thankfully she noticed she was dressed. 'What the hell happened?' A million scenarios ran through her head, images of a bloodied and dying Ino coming through the gate had her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn't seem to go fast enough even as she was nearly invisible to the naked eye. It seemed like forever even though it was only a few minutes when she saw the same building she had left just an hour or so ago. She flew in the ER entrance and made her way to the front desk.

"Sakura-sen-"

"Yamanaka Ino was brought in, where is she?" She cut the poor receptionist off but she could apologize later, she had other things on her mind right now.

"Yamanaka Ino?" She looked around on a few papers before pulling up a clipboard. "She was brought in with her teammates, they're getting patched up and she's in surgery right now."

"Surgery? What for?"

"I don't know the details, I can try and find nurse Tanoka he was there when they brought her in and I think he's with her teammates right now." While she would rather be bounding down the hall and barging into the surgery area right now, but she kept herself in check. Depending on what kind of surgery they were doing and what seals they might be using she might just end up barging in and messing up their concentration or jutsu, both which would be bad for detailed surgery. She was lead down the familiar corridor to triage room 2 and knocked, but before they could get an answer Sakura opened the door wand walked right in. Choji was shirtless and getting some stitches on his side, he seemed embarrassed when she walked in but she paid no mind. She turned to Shikamaru who was apparently finished up as he had fresh bandages around his torso and upper left arm.

"What happened?" She was on the verge of exploding in worry, so much was unknown and she wasn't sure what to expect. Shikamaru looked up at her his eyes worried apparently contemplating something.

"Damnit Shikamaru if I have to beat it out of you I will," she said in frustration. "Don't think I wouldn't beat up a patient, you wouldn't be my first or my last." It was kind of sad but she was like Tsunade-sama that way. He sighed and she might have heard him mutter a 'troublesome' under his breath but he conceded.

"It was a trap, we were aware we might be walking into a trap and had been alert all day but these guys were some kind of genjutsu experts, we never even had an inkling we were caught. The only reason we survived and got out is because something tipped Ino off."

"Something?"

"I don't know, she said she had an odd feeling and kept trying to figure out what it was. It actually got to her enough to try and dispel the genjutsu and that's when they attacked. But because she caught it we were on the edge of their trap and were able to get out, but Ino..." He paused to sigh and rub his eyes. "She was rear guard and when she dispelled the jutsu she only had a second to warn us so they hit her with everything they had. We got back to her and covered her while she tried to heal but...it's bad Sakura, it's real bad." Shikamaru almost always adopted a lazy tone, maybe slightly terse when annoyed or forced to do something. But the sheer agony in his voice sent a chill down her spine. She'd never heard him sound like this, and she wondered if this was how he was when Asuma- She shook her head trying not to bring up comparisons between that instance and this one.

"Tanoka, you helped the team to the surgery room what is her status?" He seemed unsure but took a breath before replying.

"At least two dozen senbon wounds, maybe a handful left actually in her though apparently a few hit vital nerve points and were were having trouble stabilizing her heart and breathing. There was some kind of poison, she had apparently had a seizure on the way here and another as she was brought into the ER." She nodded in understanding, worried but hopeful. Senbon punctures could be healed and Shizune was probably called and she was more of a poisons expert then even her. His voice continuing snapped her back to reality. "Unfortunately the worst wound was a deep cut probably from a sword. It went across her back from her left hip to right shoulder, but it went deep. They think it pierced her left kidney and maybe even her spine and we think the breathing problem might have been a punctured or collapsed lung. Along with the seizures they're going to be in there a while." She felt what little hope she had sinking. While the other injuries were serious they could be dealt with but this...She turned to the receptionist who was still standing next to her. She looked at her name badge, Kiri.

"Kiri,' she said snapping the woman's attention to her. "Can you please find the current surgeon on floor and ask me to be put into the surgery rotation for Yamanaka."

"Didn't you just get off shift? I don't think they'll let you in on the surgery," said Tanoka. She knew what she was asking. With the multiple problems there were going to have a shift surgery where they would have the surgeons work for a certain period of time then rotate them out for fresh ones and continue in rotation. A specialists, maybe even Tsunade would be called in for very serious and difficult parts of the surgery but there would be others slowly mending organs, tissue, and muscle and keep her body stabilized in the mean time.

"It's not a problem, I was mostly in clinic and have almost full chakra reserves." The receptionist seemed wary but the determined look in Sakura's eyes told her she wasn't taking no for an answer, so she nodded and left the room.

"Are you sure you'll be ok?" She knew what he meant. A lot of surgeons didn't like having friends or family of the relative in the surgery because they were emotionally unstable after seeing their loved one, and sometimes they would ban them completely from the surgery if they were too upset. But she was Haruno Sakura, the hokage's apprentice, and she knew how important this surgery was, she would not let her emotions get the best of her.

"Well then if you're planning on going to surgery maybe you should get dressed." She looked down and noticed she was still in shorts and a tank top and not much else. She was also still slightly damp from the water and the cloths were clinging to her in certain places. She couldn't help the blush but shrugged and went to go to the locker room for a second set of cloths.

"Sakura," she turned at Shikamaru's voice. "Please, take care of her will you," he said in what could only be desperation.

"Always."

As slow as time seemed to pass when she was trying to get here they seemed to be going before they seemed to be going twice as fast now. She didn't even remember getting dressed just going into the locker room and then she was dressed and sitting in a nearby staff room just around the corner from major surgery with about three others ready to be rotated in when they called for them. She looked around the room at the others and waited fidgety and trying to calm herself down. Someone came in with a few coffees and passed them around, she took one but only sipped it a few times as she found her focus and calm place. She knew it was going to be bad and she had to shelve her emotions if she was going to do this or they'd throw her out of there in a minute. It seemed like an hour but about 15 minutes later a nurse came in to prepare them. She called two of the others by name and told them they would be supporting the restraint team, with her being poisoned and having seizures they couldn't risk anesthesia so they were using a restraining jutsu instead though it also kept her unconscious which with the pain was better.

Her name was called along with another woman and told they would be supporting the head surgeon mending muscle and eventually skin. Apparently they had already repaired the damage done to her kidney and the head surgeon was going to be working on her spine. As much as she wanted to help with that she wasn't sure she could trust her chakra to be steady in a situation like this, she'd never done something as delicate as the spinal cord, and support was better then not helping at all. And anyway if things did start to go badly while she was in there she wouldn't hesitate to jump in and take charge. They were told to do any last minute things they needed and they'd be called in another five minutes and were expected to stay for at least a half hour, an hour if they were in good condition.

She went to the bathroom, washed her hands, and splashed some water on her face taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. 'No matter what, you have to stay in there and have to help her. She made it this far, it's time to meet her half way and finish bringing her back in one piece.' She slapped her cheaks and met her own eyes in the mirror drumming up some last minute pep. She made her way down to the surgical room with the other group and held her breath as she entered. She was glad she did or she would have gasped at the site in front of her. Ino was on her stomach, most of her wounds being on her back, but her head was to the side. The wound was not bleeding, being stemmed by a justu but the flesh was sliced clean through down through her spine and muscle, the torn tissue was raw and red and was painful just to look at. She looked to the lower side of the wound near the kidney they were working on and saw it slowly mending itself back together. They must have just been finishing up when the nurse in charge came to talk to them the first time. She let her eyes wander up to her face and had to remind herself to stay focused. Her eyes were closed as she was unconscious but her eyebrows were furrowed, she didn't know if it was because of the pain or the poison running through her veins. Her breaths were rapid but under control as small panting noises came from her open mouth covered by an oxygen mask. She swallowed hard and set her resolve as those rotating out stood up and moved over for them to take their spots.

She moved to take the spot of a young woman to Ino's left, her arms were limp at her sides but slightly outstretched and she ached to reach out and take her hand but held it in. She made herself comfortable and closed her eyes creating the seals quickly molding the chakra within her. She felt the steady stream of chakra flow from her to the unconscious woman in front of her. She made sure to measure her chakra to make it last the whole hour, she'd want to stay longer if possible but aside from the head surgeon they usually only let rotators stay an hour. Bit by bit she worked on the lower half of the wound by the kidney and slowly molded the flesh back together. Strand by strand of muscle attaching first to itself, then ligaments, cartilage, and bone. She made sure to use her chakra to not only regrown and mend but also dampen the nerves. Even though she was unconscious she still didn't want to cause her any pain. She worked on the wound centimeter by centimeter, stopping after each inch to do an overall assessment with her chakra and noticed the other young rotator was working from the opposite end down. She was going a bit faster but she also wasn't being as detailed. She noticed the chakra from the surgeon on Ino's spine and hoped things were going well on his end.

She was distracted slightly when the nurse from earlier made a call asking who needed to be rotated out by raise of hand, the sign of the 20 minute mark, she did not raise her hand. She continued making her way up the wound getting near the center of her back where the main wound to her spine was and observed his chakra running through her system. Further and further up her back she mended until once again the nurse called out to them asking for those who needed to rotate out, she knew she should raise her hand as she had been there an hour already but she still had more then enough chakra for another half hour so she kept her hand down and was happy when no one said anything to her as they rotated in another batch.

She was getting to the end of the healing, the muscle finally knitted back together in perfect working condition. The skin was slowly growing back over the last bit of the horrendous wound, she worked hard to diminish the scar tissue, breaking it up and replacing it with brand new tissue grown through increased metabolism. But even with her hand in the healing process there would be a light scar, you don't get a wound that deep and walk away without a mark, but at least now you had to look carefully to find it. She did an overall assessment again and noticed the dr. was now mending the actual bone tissue and she let out a sigh of relief as she took this as a sign that he was almost finished. She was about to raise her hand to be rotated out when her chakra snagged on something, but it wasn't her spine.

She moved her chakra flow from the middle of her back to the lower left and concentrated what little she had left of her reserves in the area and gasped.

"Nurse, we have an issue," she said her voice full of authority. "A blood clot has formed in the veins leading to the kidney, I'm attempting to break it down." She said this not only to let the nurse and therefore the surgeon know but also to get backup from any of the support. If she couldn't break this clot up she needed one of them to catch it and contain it until they could remove it. She had barely started when the heart monitor started beeping erratically and Ino twitched.

"Keep on the restraints she can't move! The nurses will watch over the vitals, keep up the support," the surgeon yelled trying to take control of the situation but a minute later another arm twitched. "Keep it together," yelled the head nurse, injecting something into Ino's IV port in her arm. Sakura fought back a groan as she felt her head starting to ache and her concentration starting to waver, she'd used up too much of her chakra already and it was starting to drain her. If she was stable she'd just step back and let someone take over but things are deteriorating and they can barely keep her stable. 'I have to do this!' She quickly started compressing her chakra even harder on the small mass breaking off microscopic bits as she felt sweat start to drip down her face. 'Come on I just need to minimize it before it does any damage to the other veins.' She pushed herself even harder as she tried to drown out the erratic beating on the heart monitor behind her and a different nurse came in the room with three other people, but it was too hard to concentrate on both Ino and what was going on in the room so she closed her already weary eyes and pushed on imagining in her head the blood clot slowly being chipped away at by her chakra, slowly being ground down spec by spec and letting the little bits flow harmlessly down the vein, until the spec itself was nothing but a spec, and then she knew nothing.

Pain assaulted her body in the form of a deep ache from her core that radiated out and seared her brain. She groaned and lifted a hand to her head to rub at her forehead though logically she knew that would do nothing for the pain. But as she went to lift her hands there was something weighing down her left hand. She cracked her eyes open slowly and winced, the bright light in the room initially blinding her and she hissed before cracking them open again slowly. The room was blurry for a moment until she blinked it away letting her eyes come into focus. She looked down to see a hand holding her own tightly, she followed said hand up to a crown of pink hair resting on the side of her bed, the young woman the hand belonged to asleep with bags under her eyes.

'Sakura,' she tried to call out but her voice was rough and gravely and she had to try and clear it a couple times before she could actually form words instead of just sounds. "Sakura," she tried again and this time the words must have registered as there was a groan and she shifted slightly. Sakura still had her hand so she squeezed it still trying to get her attention. Her eyes slid open slowly, her normally bright green eyes were dulled and in stark contract against the red from her eyes being blood shot. It actually took a moment for her to register it had been Ino who had said her name and then she shot up like someone had lit a fire under her ass.

"Ino!" She reached out as if to embrace her but held back. "Are you in pain? How do you feel?" She was a bit taken aback at how desperate she sounded.

"Sakura?" The young woman seemed to be hanging on every word. "I'm a bit sore but no worse for wear," she said actually looking over her body for the first time since she woke up. She coughed slightly at the tickled in the back of her throat. "Water?" Sakura nodded and went to the bathroom and brought back a glass for her. The water was cool and refreshing on her parched lips and throat and she couldn't help the 'ah' after she finished the glass already feeling a bit better. 'Hmm, was I dehydrated?' She turned her attention back to Sakura and noticed the girl was looking at her as if she wasn't sure if this was real or a dream.

"Sakura? What's wrong? What happened?" She remembered vaguely the first part of the battle. She had broken their illusion and they had attacked, she had evaded the first couple and took one or two out. She had turned when she heard Shikamaru cuss and missed the attack of needles headed her way. She knew by the burn right away they were dipped in something, probably poisoned. Her body gave her problems after that, one of her limbs would twitch uncontrollably or her reaction would be delayed. Then she remembered her back...and pain... She went over this mental recap in what was probably only a few seconds but it seemed Sakura was still trying to form an answer.

"Don't sugar coat it," she said glumly. Sakura still seemed unsure but nodded.

"You were poisoned in the field, some kind of neurotoxin. Then you were attacked, a large sword, it cut you from your hip to across your back to your shoulder. It was deep." She saw Sakura take a breath before continuing and couldn't help her hand from going to her shoulder and rubbing it slightly feeling a bit of fresh skin under her fingers. "It cut through your spine, and into your left kidney." She felt herself stiffen and quiclky assessed that yes her toes worked and she could feel them and quickly shook off the shock. "With the toxin we couldn't anesthetist you so we had to use restraining jutsu while the surgeon worked on you. I was in the rotation team. They did your kidney first and then went to work on your spine, they were almost done when I found a large clot in your kidney. We tried to break it down but," she stopped a second to clear her throat as her voice seemed caught. "I stayed in rotation too long, I didn't have enough chakra, I broke it down some but not enough and you were becoming unstable, and it made it to your lung and they were trying so hard to contain it..." Sakura's voice was strained and she seemed to be having trouble speaking, the girl looked so heart broken, like she had actually died instead of sitting here next to her. She reached out and took Sakura's hand in her own and their eyes met. In an instant she was enveloped by the grief, the guilt, and the worry that had been consuming the girl and wordlessly she pulled her into an embrace.

"Sakura," she said soothingly rubbing her back.

"You're heart stopped and I thought the clot went to your brain and I messed up, I should have left the rotation earlier." The girl was barely containing the sobs that wanted to break through though a few hiccups did break through. Ino held her and continued rubbing her back. The situation itself was hard enough, even though she knew she had to comfort Sakura she felt a chill run through her body at the thought 'I technically died.' She shook off the feeling though and concentrated on the girl in her arms who looked like someone had killed her puppy.

"Sakura you helped me. You stayed with me and found the clot, you know you're more thorough then anyone, if you weren't there they might not have found it in time. It's fine, we're here now, together." She manipulated the two of them to laying down in the bed, Ino under the thin sheet and Sakura laying on top. Somehow Sakura ended up in Ino's arms as Ino stroked Sakura's pink hair soothingly as the girl pulled herself together. It was odd, she hadn't seen Sakura this upset since they were children when other girls would bully her about her hair. She used to protect her and sooth her, just liked this.

"I'm glad you're the first person I saw when I woke up. I knew that meant I was going to be ok," she whispered feeling a bit of exhaustion rush over her. Her body must still be recovering when she had done almost nothing and still felt this drained. 'I really am glad she's the first person I saw, if nothing else it means she was worried about me.'

"For a moment, I thought I'd lost you," she finally whispered back. "The thought of loosing you, it hurt, it scared me, it was like a chill to my core. It was like when Pein blew up Konoha all over again."

"Sakura, you can't compare me getting hurt to loosing the whole village. But I'm glad you care so much," she whispered unsure of what to say. They both seemed to be having trouble finding words and so they lay there, Ino almost dozing in the afternoon light streaming through the window, so tired she thought the words she heard might have been a dream.

"Please don't ever leave me again," came a whisper from Sakura. The second she realized she had really said those words Ino turned ready to say something, though she wasn't sure what, but she was cut off by Sakura's lips on her own. It was a timid kiss, though it was one of the first she remembered Sakura herself initiating and she felt heat rushing to her face. It turned more bold as Sakura pulled her closer in the small bed and wrapped her arms around her, Sakura's body heat emanating thorough the thin sheet and she could feel her heart beating painfully against her chest. She felt tears prickling at the edge of her eyes but she fought them off and kissed her back with all the pent up emotions she had welling inside of her. As much as she wanted nothing more but to continue this she slowly pulled away running her hand along the side of Sakura's now flushed face. It was hard to tell who had been in the actual battle as Sakura seemed a bit like a wreck herself.

"Come on you know I'd never leave you. I promised you we'd go out when I got back."

"Idiot!" Sakura's face was tinged red and Ino didn't know if it was because she was still sniffling or embarrassed but she smiled anyway because she was too cute.

"Thank you."

"Huh? For what," Sakura said still sniffling a little.

"For being you." She tilted her head forward for a chaste kiss and she felt Sakura reciprocate instantly.

"I don't understand."

"You don't have to, just stay here with me til I fall back asleep?" Her body was still recovering and apparently a few minutes was all it was allowing her to stay up for now, even now she was fighitng sleep. Sakura smiled and held Ino's hand, even as she tried to fight to stay awake even a few more minutes her eyes closed and her breathing evened out.

AN: I hope the fluff kind of makes up for the cliffhanger last time. Sorry again about that! Until next time.


	9. Develop

AN: Look I'm back from the dead! Really though I am sorry for taking so long to update. For those who don't know I work 2 part time jobs, go to school full time, and work artist alley at least once a month at various anime cons in the upper east of the U.S. Not saying these are good excuses but sometimes life gets in the way of what you really want to do, like write! Anyway I hope I won't go so long without updating again and that you enjoy.

Chapter 9: Develop

Sakura stayed by her side in the bed long after Ino had fallen asleep and she still held her hand. She heard someone knock on the door and quickly slid out of bed before the door opened and Tsunade came in with Ino's father Inochi. Shikamaru and Choji had come by before to check on her as well but she'd still been recovering. This was the second time her father had come to visit, the man looked so worried and tired, even more so then her.

"Sakura," Tsunade whispered. "What's her status?" Even as she didn't want to she let go of Ino's hand and immediately missed her warmth as she stepped over to the two and whispered her reply.

"She awoke for a minute or two, just long enough for me to let her know what happened but her body's still recovering and exhausted and she fell back asleep quickly."

"Why didn't you come get me," her father said trying not to yell though his voice did raise.

"I'm sorry but it was really only a minute or two and I wanted to assess her condition." She felt kind of guilty because while that was her intent that wasn't why she didn't get anyone. Ever since the surgery two days ago she'd wanted to talk to Ino, make sure she was really fine, just be with her. Her dad while looking annoyed just sighed.

"Fine but please tell me the next time she wakes up. Please." She nodded and assured him she would but it was kind of odd. While his words were pleading he seemed more annoyed then anything. Tsunade asked a few questions about how Ino seemed when she woke up and wrote a few notes in her chart and the two of them were gone again. She had an odd feeling when they left, like Ino's father was mad about something, but she couldn't quite figure out what. 'Hell he should be happy Ino is doing so well!' She stamped out her new annoyance and wrote the whole thing off to stress on both his and her part. She felt like a weight had been lifted now that she had been able to talk to Ino and she decided she could finally go home and get a nap. She itched her hair and almost got her hand stuck in some of the tangles in her hair, 'and probably a shower too.' Before she left though she made sure to scribble a note to leave on her bedside table in case she woke and wondered where she'd gone.

It didn't take long for her to get home and even as she was dead on her feet she still made herself take a shower and wash herself up before falling into bed, her hair still damp as she pulled the covers over herself and fell into a deep sleep.

"_Sakura."_ _'Who is it?' "Sakura." 'Where are you?' "Sakura!' She finally opened her eyes to see Ino standing in front of her, hands on her hips and looking down at her. "Sakura wake up I've been calling you. Seriously I know the weather's good but you really fell asleep out in the meadow?" She looked around and saw that it was indeed a meadow, but not just any meadow, _their _meadow, the one they played in as kids._

"_Sorry I guess I dozed off."_

"_Oh well I guess you can't help it, not a bad place to fall asleep, but we should enjoy our time here while we can." Something in her sentence seemed off and it took her a moment to figure it out._

"_Hmm what do you mean while we can?"_

"_We can't stay here forever," she said somewhat seriously. "We have to leave eventually, and I don't know if we can ever come back here again." Ino didn't seem to be making sense, why would they leave?_

"_Ino?" _

"_But at least even if we can't be here again we can be together wherever we end up going right?" _

"_Where are we going though?"_

"_I don't know." Sakura felt herself getting annoyed and it must have shown on her face. "I don't know, it's up to you where we go from here. But no matter where you go I'll follow, just make sure to tell me where you're going or it'll take me forever to find you." 'This conversation is so weird, what's she talking about?'_

"_Listen don't think so hard about it," said Ino. "Just promise me you won't leave me?" _' Please don't ever leave me again' _Her own words she said to Ino came back to her. Ino looked at her, her baby blue eyes pleading even though she herself was smiling._

"_Of course not. I'll always be here."_

"_Promise?" She looked over and it was no longer adult Ino, but little Ino and as she held her own pinky up to promise, and she realized she had also reverted to her child form. _

"_Promise," she said as they hooked fingers. _

"_And don't forget my flowers Sakura!" The smiled on Ino's face had her heart melting and she felt a warmth wash over her as the sun got brighter and brighter until she couldn't see Ino anymore._

She blinked once and winced as the sunlight blinded her, she groaned and rolled away from the window and the light. She cracked her eyes once again, this time a bit more successfully and cleared her vision to look at the clock. '8:13 A.M. Damn I've slept for over 12 hours.' She dragged herself out of bed and got herself into some clothes even as she fought not to climb back in bed, the chill in the room raising goosebumps on her arms. 'Shit I wonder if Ino woke up again while I was gone.' She grabbed herself a protein shake from the fridge to chug; depending on her shifts sometimes she had to get some nutrition on the go. Sakura checked herself over in the mirror one more time before heading out. She had been given leave for a few days after passing out in the O.R. And was given instructions to see Tsunade before being allowed to go back to work. 'I think I should visit Ino first. It's on the way anyway.' For some reason that reminded her of that weird dream she'd had. It was kind of odd she completely remembered the dream in the first place, but the weirdest part was the last thing Ino said was _'Don't forget my flowers Sakura!'_ 'Well she is in the hospital, it wouldn't hurt to get her flowers.' She slowed her pace as she thought over what kind of flowers she should get her. 'I wish I was better with flowers, but Ino always was better at that then I was.' She was still deep in thought about it when she actually got to the flower shop. She was surprised though when it was a feminine voice that greeted her in the shop.

"Mrs. Yamanaka?" She looked towards the counter and sure enough it was Ino's mother. Ino took after her father in a lot of her looks, but a lot of her personality came through her mother. Her mother was a tall willowy woman, with light brown hair and grey blue eyes. When Ino smiled was when she really looked like her mom, and seeing her moms face light up now only reminded her of that.

"Sakura it's so good to see you! I haven't seen you in so long, though Ino talks about you all the time."

"Thank you," she said a little embarrassed, "How have you been doing? Ino told me about your injury, are you sure you should be working on your feet for long," she asked.

"Ino worries too much, I've lived through two shinobi wars now, I'm a little sore but nothing I can't handle." She set down the flowers she had in her hand. From the basket on the counter it looked like she was making an arrangement, and walked over to her clasping her hands and taking her by surprise.

"Thank you so much Sakura for saving her life."

"It was Shikamaru and Choji who saved her."

"I know they did too and I've already thanked them, but Tsunade-sama told me what you did for her, so thank you Sakura." It wasn't uncommon for people to thank her for saving their loved ones and she didn't mind, usually telling them it wasn't a problem, it was her job, and other things. But she couldn't say that, not in this instance, and not to this woman.

"I was really happy...I was able to protect someone important to me," she said sincerely.

"Sakura." Mrs. Yamanaka looked a bit teary eyes but dabbed it away. "So considering you didn't know I was working here now, what brought you in?"

"Ah flowers, I know it's a bit redundant with her working here part time, but I wanted to bring Ino some flowers." That got a chuckle from the older woman.

"Ah you're probably right."

"But at the same time if I go without flowers I might get something from her like, 'so where's my flowers?'" The dream once again resonated in her head, and Mrs. Yamanaka chuckled.

"Anything special you were looking for?"

"I can't really remember what her favorite flower is. I think her favorite color is blue but you can only get those flower colors with dyes. And I know she doesn't like the 'bland' white ones as she calls them."

"Ah you remember so much, and put so much thought into it. Though I will help you out," she said walking over to a row of yellow flowers. "I believe this is her favorite," she said pointing to a flower that looked like a small yellow puff ball. "It's a yellow acacia, she's liked them since she was young." For some reason that kind of flower was ringing a bell in her head but she couldn't remember the meaning behind it. In the flower arranging class they took they found out certain flowers had certain meanings but she couldn't quite put her finger on the meaning of this one.

"Thanks Mrs. Yamanaka, I think it will brighten her mood and her spirit a bit."

"Her spirit?"

"I've worked at the hospital long enough to know no one, especially shinobi like being in the hospital. But maybe if she's doing better today she can leave soon."

"Let's hope." Mrs. Yamanaka wrapped up the flowers for her and Sakura was on her way out the door and about 4 blocks away before it came to her. 'Secret love.' She stopped dead in her tracks, yellow acacias meant secret love. 'Ino's liked them since she was a child.' She looked down in her arms and felt herself blush. 'Come on, she was just a kid, her parents probably hadn't even taught her what this one meant yet, she probably just liked the color.' She shook her head and tried to convince herself not to think on it too much.

She made it to the hospital and was just heading down the corridor to Ino's room when she heard a commotion. She started running down the hallway and made it to Ino's door just in time for a food tray to fly out and smack against the opposite wall. She slipped through the opene door and had to dodge a slipper being thrown by Ino at her father who dodged it.

"Ino you're being unreasonable."

"No you're being a controlling ass!"

"I just want whats best for you!"

"You just want to further your agenda!"

"It's not an agenda!"

Sakura put her fingers to her lips and blew a loud shrill whistle that caught the two blonds off guard.

"What's going on in here? You do realize this is a hospital right?" When they both went to talk at the same time she shushed them again and pointed at Ino.

"Ok what is going on."

"I want to be discharged but they said with the medications I'll be on someone has to watch me for a few days. He wants me to come home, but I know once I'm there he's going to try and make it permanent!"

"How else am I supposed to get a hold of you! You're never home, you never come by for dinner like you used to!"

"Maybe I'm annoyed with the company." There was real venom in her voice and Sakura felt if she didn't diffuse the situation Ino was going to start throwing things again. She thought both of them were overreacting but there was no way she was ever going to tell that to a Yamanaka.

"Calm down, listen you just need someone to watch over you for a few days right," Sakura asked.

"Yeah they said the medication might make me a little out of it."

"So they need a shinobi to watch you," her father butted in.

"WELL THEN," she said speaking over the two. "I was about to meet with Tsunade-sama, I'm still a bit drained from surgery so I was going to ask for a day or two off, why don't I watch over Ino?" While Ino's face lit up her fathers fell. Sakura wasn't sure what was going on here, and she doubted it was as bad as Ino was saying, but she probably said it for a reason.

"Are you sure it won't be a burden to you, you said yourself you were still recovering," he asked though the argument seemed flimsy.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired. While being tired normally isn't a bad thing, when you're healing people it's kind of a no no." He sighed and crossed the room to Ino who still looked apprehensive but let him approach.

"All right honey, your mother and I both hope you get better," he said leaning over and giving her a kiss on the forehead before turning and walking out the door without even looking at Sakura. She waited until the door was closed and his footsteps walked around the corner.

"Ino what the hell was that?" Ino turned her head to the side not meeting her eyes, her face held a mixture of embarrassment and sadness. "I know you said your dads been being a bit of an ass lately but that was a bit extreme."

"I know," she said above a whisper. "I'm sorry, but I didn't want to go back there, he's been pushing me even more then usual."

"Pushing you?" And then it clicked. "Is this still about the dating thing? Ino all you have to do is tell him no, or turn them down."

"I do," she exclaimed finally turning to face her and Sakura saw the unshed tears in her eyes.

"Ino."

"I tried going at first and putting them down by saying they weren't my type or too loud, or some other reason. It was maybe one blind date every couple of weeks but then it was once a week, and then he actually had two set during the same week! I have no idea what his problem is, but I got fed up with it and started making excuses not to come over, hell that mission was a god send!"

"Have you tried to talk with him about it? It seems odd even for your dad."

"I've tried but then he gets upset and starts talking about this one time during the war," Ino seemed to trail off and looked like it was upsetting her, Sakura was about to tell her not to worry about telling her but the girl continued. "He said he saw a kunoichi a bit younger then me, but she looked just like me on the field. It wasn't me obviously, she was actually from stone, but with everyone wearing the same headband and same uniform he thought it was me. He said he was afraid of loosing me."

"But even so what's that have to do with getting you married off?"

"He said when he saw her he had so many regrets, like not walking me down the isle, not buying me a crib for my first baby, not holding his first grandchild." She sighed and laid back in the bed looking just as exhausted as the day she woke up. "I understand where he's coming from but he's taking it to the extreme and I don't know how to deal with him anymore." Sakura walked over and placed the flowers on Ino's bedside table, it was like Ino had been in a trance and it seemed to help snap her out of it.

"Flowers? For me?" A small smile played on her lips but it seemed to light up Ino's whole face.

"Yeah I'd be a bit hurt you just now noticed but I even forgot I had them after stepping in the middle of _that_."

" Yellow acacia," Ino said wistfully.

"Yeah I have to admit I wasn't sure what to get you, but your mom said they were your favorites." It might have been her imagination but she thought she saw a bit of pink come to Ino's cheeks.

"Ah mom would be the one to know. Anyway you were serious about getting me out of here right?"

"Of course, while I _would_ say that just to get your dad out of here, if Tsunade-sama thinks it's serious enough you need someone to watch you I don't mind. So your place or mine?"

"Huh?" This time Ino's face really lit up.

"Well if I'm watching over you either I'm staying at your place or your staying at mine. So which do you want?" Ino shook her head and the color slowly started fading from her cheeks. 'Why do I get the feeling I'm glad I don't know what she was thinking.'

"I think I might do better staying at my own place where at least I know where everything is and I'm a bit more comfortable there."

"Sounds good, I'll talk to Tsunade-sama and head home to pack a few things for the next few days and be back," she said standing up.

"You're leaving so soon," she asked a bit sadly.

"Don't look so sad, we're going to be spending the next few days together, you can wait another hour or so right?" Ino rubbed the back of her head a bit embarrassed.

"Yeah you're right, I guess I'm just being stupid. Just come back soon, you know how it is in hospitals." Sakura actually felt a pang of guilt, even though she'd be back soon she _had_ just gotten there and now she was leaving again. But on the same hand the sooner she left the sooner she'd be back. She glanced over at the closed door before looking back at Ino and in one quick movement she touched her lips to the now shocked girls. It wasn't long or lustful, just a brush of lips over lips and then she pulled back, her face a light pink.

"Sakura?"

"I-I can't help it...when you make that face." Ino opened her mouth to say more but Sakura's heart was already about to burst out of her chest so she made a hasty retreat out the door. It was the second time she had initiated a kiss between them, but she felt as nervous as if it was her first. And then the pink haired girl was out the door. It was only a moment later that Ino realized her hand was on her lips and her lips were twisted into a grin.

She squealed girlishly and fell back on her bed. Her mood was definitely brighter even though she had just fought with her father again. But now she had an excuse to avoid him/potential suitors and spend time with Sakura for the next few days! She was ecstatic, she wished she could get changed and ready to go but the cloths she had on when she arrived had been disposed of meaning she'd have to wait for a nurse to bring her some bland extra cloths the hospital had. 'Speaking of _clean_ clothes,' she thought and lifted her arm to smell at her underarms. 'Yeah I definitely need to shower before I get changed.' She lifted her legs to the side of the bed to get up when her gaze once again fell upon the small yellow puffballs of flowers in the vase next to her. That took her back.

_Ino's mother had found her daughter sighing and looking out the kitchen window on a bright beautiful day, which was odd for Ino. She'd usually be out playing with her friends like Sakura or Shikamaru. But something had the girl so down she looked down right pathetic. She saw Ino jump as she put a hand on her daughter's shoulder._

"_Ino, what's wrong?"_

"_Ah nothing mom," she said smiling trying to play it off like there was nothing wrong._

"_Ino it's a beautiful warm spring day out and I find you in here staring out the window like your dog ran away. Honey what's wrong?" She hated herself for not noticing her mom earlier, it's not that she didn't like the woman, but she was afraid her mom would be either grossed our or mad at her. She wasn't sure what to say so she started speaking slowly._

"_Mom there's this...person I like...," she dared not look up at her mother least her face give away the fact she purposely said 'person' and not 'boy.' "I want to tell them...but they like someone else...I don't know what to do. I want to tell them, but would it do any good if they like someone else?"_

"_So complicated already and you're only 8," the woman chuckled. "Tell me does the person they like like them back?" Ino thought for a moment, as far as she knew Sasuke didn't like _anyone_. She wasn't even specifically saying girls, she didn't know anyone who was even close friends with Sasuke._

"_No, I don't think so."_

"_Well I don't know if the person you like will like you back but you'll never know unless you tell them."_

"_But I'm afraid! What if they don't like me? Or worse, they hate me! I don't wanna loose my friend!" Her mothers mouth twitched into a slightly wider grin at the word 'friend,' but she said nothing of it._

"_What about giving them flowers?"_

"_Flowers?"_

"_Ino did you know that different flowers have different meanings? Roses mean love and many people know that but did you know Bell Flowers mean gratitude? Or Daisies mean innocence? Or Juniper means protection?" Ino seemed to think on this and she cracked a smile for a second before it once again fled her face._

"_But what if they don't know the meaning behind the flowers?"_

"_They don't have to, only you do. It's kind of like a practice to telling them to their face, but instead you'll be telling them in secret messages."_

"_Practice," she mumbled to herself._

"_Here let me help you make a little bouquet, we can start with this," she said and pulled a little yellow flower that looked like a puff ball. "This is a yellow acacia, it means secret love...'_

She smiled remembering that day warmly, her mother never found out who it was for, and Sakura really did like the flowers. It was too bad just two weeks later that Sakura would tell her about her crush and things would go downhill. 'So many stupid fights and time lost, but not anymore,' she thought and firmly planted her feet on the ground.

It was almost dark already by the time the two girls made their way up the stairs to Ino's apartment. Ino took a moment to unseal her door and then used a key to unlock it. The two stepped inside and Ino took her shoes off and clicked on the lights as Sakura came in behind her.

"Is there anything you need Ino? Did you eat before you left the hospital."

"I'm ok for right now, why don't we get you settled in first? I have an extra closet where you can put your bag," she said pointing to the backpack on her shoulder. "But as for sleeping room, well I have a couch that pulls out but I've been told it's not all that comfortable. Or..." The girl kind of stopped mid-sentence like she was realizing something."

"Or what?"

"Umm listen you don't have to and I didn't think it through before I thought of suggesting it but-"

"Just tell me Ino," she said wondering why the poor girl was getting so flustered.

"Or we could share my bed," she said with a slightly pink hue to her cheeks. Sakura kind of stared at her blank faced for a minute, and then while the rest of her facial features didn't change her face became very pink. She remembered what had happened between them in her apartment not too long ago and while she was not _opposed_ to it she wasn't sure she was quite ready to make that jump yet.

"Listen it's probably a bad idea," Ino said rubbing the back of her head. "I know the couch isn't comfortable but if you want I can take it and you can take the bed."

"Ino don't be ridiculous! You're the one recovering from major injuries of course you take the bed," Sakura said going full medic mode on her. "And really it's not like I haven't slept in trees or on the ground once in a while it's not like your couch bed is some kind of horrible torture device."

"Yeah you're right, sorry I was just trying to be a good host." Ino still looked a bit lost and frazzled. While Sakura was technically helping watch over Ino as a medic and as a favor she was also technically staying a few days over her girlfriend's apartment. It was kind of a big jump relationship wise but at the same time it wasn't the main reason she was over. They were both a little awkward but Sakura tried to put it aside.

The rest of the night was fairly uneventful and after getting settled in Sakura made Ino and her each a sandwich before having Ino take her meds and putting her to bed a bit early. The blonde tried to complain but she was out like a light in minutes. Sakura stayed up a bit later reading a book before taking the sheets and blankets Ino had left for her and made up the couch bed. She laid down to get some sleep but it was apparent after a few minutes there might be a problem with that. While not comfortable, the bed was not horrid, after all she had slept on the frozen ground before, which was like sleeping on a jagged rock. She tried to re-situate herself and try to sleep again but after about 15 more minutes she decided to try rearranging her position on the bed and slept sideways on the bed. Another 15 minutes and she got up to go to the kitchen and make a warm glass of milk and take a melatonin* she brought with her to help her sleep, went to the bathroom, and made another go at it. An hour and a half later Sakura was loath to admit it, but she had been defeated. It was an ingenious torture device. It wasn't harsh enough where her wilderness survival would kick in and she would ignore it and sleep. But it wasn't comfortable enough to sleep on like a normal bed. It messed with her senses and aggravated her as she could not find one way to get comfortable.

She grabbed a pillow and blanket and slunk down the hallway to Ino's room. She cracked the door open to see the girl still passed out, her hair down and haloing her head on the pillow, one arm under the pillow, the other gripping the top. She hesitated in the doorway before slowly stepping in with all the stealth of a ninja she had and made it to the far side of the bed. While not huge the queen sized bed seemed like it could comfortably hold two, and as quietly as she could she slid into bed next to Ino and arranged herself into a comfortable position. She immediately felt her body melt into the bed and almost instantly fell asleep. Before giving into the gentle darkness she whispered into the darkness, "goodnight Ino."

*Melatonin is a vitamin/natural supplement your body naturally produces to help you sleep. And people who have problems getting to sleep (me) can take it before bed to help them sleep instead of sleeping pills.

AN: Thanks again for reading, I hope it was worth the wait. Though I do have a question, there was a slightly limey scene a few chapters back and I do plan on having at least one lemon in this fic. Should I stick to just one and imply the others or do you want more then one? BTW Thanks to everyone who reviewed and thanks for reading! Thanks again!


	10. Branch Out

AN: I have finals next week, projects due, and am moving in 2 weeks, and what am I doing? Writing of course! Yeah my fiance is already remidning me of the 30 others things I need to be doing but I was hit with inspirtation and went with it and got ch. 9 done in 2 hours. Woot! Now if only it would stick with me. All that being said it might be another month before an update because of afroe mentioned things going on. Good thing is thought I will be graduating on the 11th! Still have an externship in July but at least no more classes! Anyway on with the fic.

Disclaimer: So I sound like I own Naruto? No

Chapter 10: Branch Out

She felt like she was wrapped in warm fluff, cocooning both her body and mind and she felt disinclined to move. Her other senses slowly came back to her, she heard birds chirping outside her window, felt a cool breeze play with her hair and cause her windchime to jingle as it whisked on by. She didn't remember the last time she felt this comfortable or well rested. She took a deep breath and felt slightly constricted, and as she inhaled deeply there was a slight smell of...'raspberries?' She tried to crack her eyes opened and winced at the invading light, scrunching her face up. Her second try was more successful and she blinked the sleep out of her eyes trying to figure out what was going on. She looked down to the weight she felt on her left side and felt her eyes open wide enough that she almost teared up. Sakura was curled up on her left side, her head resting on her shoulder, her hand laid on the center of her chest her eyes closed and relaxed sleeping peacefully, like this happened every night. It took a full moment before she could drag her eyes away and she felt her face heating up as she tried to recall the last nights events. It took a moment for her memories to force their way through her slightly drugged mind before she remembered the accident, her recovery, and her new live in nurse for a bit. She put a hand on her forehead and took a deep breath trying to slow her heart beat and fight the blush on her face. It took a moment for everything to come back to her and for a second she'd thought...'well why else would you wake up next to someone in bed,' she thought her blush coming back full force. As if she could somehow sense Ino's embarrassment Sakura chose this moment to moan slightly as she stretched and flexed, her face scrunching up before her eyes fluttered open. Ino froze like a deer in the headlights unsure of what the hell to do. 'T-this one isn't my fault! She was sleeping in the living room I didn't do anything,' she thought nervously discreetly checking to make sure none of her appendages had strayed somewhere they shouldn't while the two girls slept.

As Sakura's eyes finally landed on Ino it took a moment for her to asses the situation, much like Ino had, but the moment she realized what she was doing she all but jumped off the bed, situating herself on the edge precariously.

"I-ino, ummm, g-good morning," she said her face a deep crimson.

"M-morning," she said glad Sakura's first reaction wasn't anger, even though it might not have been her fault it wasn't unheard of for Sakura to turn her embarrassment into anger.

"S-sorry I should have asked you but it was like 3 in the morning and I didn't know if you could get back to sleep or not. And you originally suggested sharing a bed so I thought maybe you wouldn't mind." Ino had to sit there a moment and try to process what she had just said because it had been said in one breath and at about 100 miles and hour.

"Ah it's fine, it just gave me a little shock is all. I did try to warn you about the couch," she said fighting the urge to give the flustered girl in front of her a small kiss. It was true Sakura _usually_ turned her embarrassment into anger and turned it on the person involved, so to see her all embarrassed and flustered was a rare site, and she was so damn cute.

"You were right," she sighed in recognition.

"I like the way that sounds."

"Huh? What sounds?"

"When you say I'm right," Ino said with a giggle. She just barely dodged the pillow Sakura tossed at her. "Oh come on I'm just teasing."

"Hmph, and I was going to go out and get breakfast, now you actually have to suffer through my cooking." Ino laughed and grabbed her around the waist rolling over in bed and taking her down with her.

"Ino!"

"Yes Sa-ku-ra?" She knew without looking the other girls face was beat red.

"I can't cook if you don't let me up."

"Hmmm, maybe I'll just eat you instead," she said and actually bit lightly on the top part of her ear. She didn't think she'd ever seen Sakura move that fast before, as the warm body in her hands somehow made it out of her doorway in the second it took her to blink. 'Oops maybe I went a bit far,' she thought. She stretched out on the bed enjoying the warmth and debating if she wanted to get up just yet or not, she felt a twinge in her back and winced in pain. 'Gotta remember why Sakura is staying over here in the first place,' she thought rubbing the back of her hip. She got up and made her way to the bathroom to see the door was already closed and figured Sakura was in there so instead she made her way out to the kitchen. She fished out her coffee grounds from her own special blend and started brewing a pot before turning to pull out her smoothie blend and getting her blender out. Just as she was putting the last of the sugar in Sakura cane out looking slightly annoyed.

"Ino what are you doing? I said I was making breakfast for us!"

"Calm down, you can still make breakfast I was just making the coffee and a smoothie. I figured you didn't know which powder was which so I made them up. I promise you can still make breakfast."

"Yeah well you're also supposed to be taking it easy."

"Sakura," she said smiling, it was almost cute how she was trying to take care of her. "I swear making coffee and smoothies isn't straining."

"Fine, but after that go get in the shower, and I'll put my cooking skills to good use!" Ino couldn't help but giggle.

"Sure, sure," she said and turned the blender on finishing the smoothies. She poured them both into two cups and took a long drink of her own cup. She felt eyes on her and quickly looked over at Sakura and caught her eyes. Sakura quickly looked away looking back in the fridge for food. 'Was Sakura just checking me out?,' she thought smiling to herself. 'Nah couldn't be.' She quickly finished off her smoothie already feeling more refreshed and went to the bathroom like Sakura said to shower. She quickly disposed of her cloths and stretched again catching her reflection in the mirror. She stopped when she noticed something. A strip of pale skin, slightly raised was at her hip, she slowly turned her body in the mirror and watched the pale line make its way from her hip all the way up to her opposite shoulder. Sakura was a miracle worker and kept it small and barely there, but it did in fact leave a scar. It was mesmerizing in a twisted way, she knew she had been hurt, but she barely remembered a lot of the fight and then nothing about after she had arrived back in Konoha. 'I could have died,' she thought her heart clenching. She knew she was a kunoichi, a warrior who if asked would lay down her life for her village. But that didn't mean she wanted to die, not yet, especially not now, her mind wandering to the woman in the other room.

She took a deep breath trying to calm herself. She hadn't taken a moment to let it sink in and even though it was disturbing on some level she tried to shake it off. In the war there had been quite a few moments where she wasn't sure she was going to make it, and at the peak of it she actually started having panic attacks worrying about _that_ moment. The moment when she would be laying on the ground, finished, waiting for her life to slowly drain out of her, waiting for death to embrace her...and then? She had always wanted to believe there was an afterlife, reincarnation, something. But at these times when she wondered when she was going to die, because god knew if she was getting out of this war alive, if there was anything after for her. She shook her head banishing those thoughts. She was not going to spazz out and have a panic attack, not now, not with her girlfriend in the other room making breakfast for her. The same woman who saved her from death at that. She was alive, and god willing she would stay so for a while and she was going to enjoy her day and not think about what might have happened!

For some reason that really seemed to pump her up. Thinking about bad things only brought you down. So with her mood more elevated wondering just what she was going to do today since she had technically kidnapped Sakura for a few days and had her all to herself. She took a rather quick shower, sneaking back to her bedroom in a towel to throw on some casual clothes for the day before making her way out to the kitchen. She walked up behind Sakura who was putting plates on the table and wrapped her arms around her, Sakura stiffened for a second before relaxing.

"So what's for break...fast?" She wasn't sure what to make of the food on the table. She remembered Sakura making dinner for her all those weeks ago when they first started talking again and thought she had gotten better at cooking, now she wasn't sure. There was toast and butter, then bacon which looked fine. But her french toast looked...liquidy? Was that even a word?

"S-sorry, I think I added too much milk to the french toast, and then I tried adding more egg, and then they egg was cooking but not soaking into the toast-" The poor girl was rambling and her face was beat red, and oh so cute, so she did the only thing she could. She turned her head with her hand and let her lips descend on Sakura's still moving pair. It took Sakura a moment to realize what was happening. It wasn't overly lusty or sexual, just soft lips on lips moving against each other. Ino could taste her smoothie on Sakura's lips and it made her smile.

"It's fine, look the bacon and toast are fine, I think I might have the other stuff to make some BLTs in the fridge if you want."

"I'm sorry, I really did try, breakfast foods are just kind of hard for me."

"It's the thought that counts so thank you." Sakura sat down looking kind of defeated but it didn't seem to dampen her mood overall. So as Sakura sat at the table Ino went and fished out a tomato and a head of lettuce. It didn't take her long to make up the sandwhiches (with Sakura's help of course) and Sakura insisted on doing the dishes while Ino took her medicine. She wasn't sure about what to expect. They had given her 3 pills: one was a pain killer (it was the one that supposedly made her loopy), one was a blood thinner (she had to take that one for a week), and one to help speed up her recovery. She took them with her coffee noticing Sakura had already finished hers, maybe even before they ate. Sakura walked over to the couch Ino was on and plopped down, both staring at a blank TV screen.

"Can't find the remote," Sakura asked.

"Nah, just didn't wanna watch TV."

"Well what do you want to do?"

"I don't know, we could go swimming-"

"No, you're supposed to take it easy, so before you even bring it up if it involves leaving the apartment we're not doing it." Ino pouted, what the hell was she supposed to do all day _inside_. Well actually a few things came to mind but she didn't think Sakura would be up for that. She tried giving her the puppy dog look but Sakura only glared.

"No, what would you do if you passed out in the water and drowned?"

"Well you'd be there and give me CPR."

"Ino I'm being serious!" Ino wanted to say she was also being serious, considering Sakura _was_ a medic nin but she didn't think the other girl would be too happy with that.

"Well fine then what do you think we should do," Ino said since Sakura's proclamation had killed damn near everything she could think of.

"Ummm, we could..." Sakura didn't look like she was having a whole lot of luck thinking on the fly. "We could play a board game." The look Ino was giving her said she'd rather clean her apartment. "Or watch some TV, you never did look to see what was on." Still the same look. "Look I know there's a lot of stuff you _want_ to do, but it has to wait another day or two. Listen even after I leave you have another 5 or 6 days of recovery. If you want I can ask for a couple of days off and we can do something, how about that?" Ino finally seemed to perk up, and then she jumped up off the couch and disappeared into the other room to come back with a paper and pen.

"What is that for," asked Sakura.

"Well with missions and work we usually only get to see each other once a week and do something, so if I get a couple of days with you then I'm making a list of things I want to do and choosing only the very best," she said her eyes glowing with excitement, Sakura was almost afraid of what she'd done, but the look on Ino's face made it worth it.

"Fine, fine, so what are some of the things you want to do."

"Well we could go bowling, or out to eat," she said jotting the ideas down as she went. "Or go to a traditional tea house, or a festival."

"Ino the next festival is Oban and that's like a month away."

"I didn't say we could do all of these, I'm just writing down any idea that comes to mind."

"Well fine if we're just jotting down ideas then write down the Fire Gardens."

"The Fire Gardens?" The Fire Gardens were known all over Fire Country and beyond. It was centered in a perfect area of fire country and even more so, the world, to where they got both extreme heat and cold making it a prime spot for growing all kinds of flowers and plants from all over the world. They were even said to have a handful of a few nearly extinct plants. Along with the plants were exotic wildlife and insects, including a butterfly house where you walked in and butterflies literally covered the room and had no problem landing on you.

"Yeah have you ever been there?"

"No, I was going to once after a mission, we weren't needed back right away and we were going to stop at the capital on the way but we get intercepted by some Iwa nin near the border, this was before the war, and instead we had to head home to get patched up."

"Well then it'll both our first times, I really want to see the butterfly house and the reptile house, there are some unique frogs and lizards in there that are both beautiful and deadly." Ino had to laugh at that and Sakura looked annoyed.

"What's so funny."

"I can't help it, you were always such a book worm, liking to learn about all kinds of things you'd never heard or seen before. Even on a date you want to go and learn." Sakura blushed and looked away.

"I can't help it, it's interesting to me."

"It's fine, I think it sounds like a lot of fun. Anywhere else you can think of?" The little list of dates they wanted to go on ended up being a whole page and a half and then from there it turned into something different. Instead of dates it was things they wanted to do in life, almost like a bucket list. Places they wanted to go, things they wanted to see, things they wanted to do. They wiled away the afternoon like that until they had about five pages worth of things scrawled all over the notebook. Ino was sprawled across the couch with her head in Sakura's lap as the other girl played with her hair.

"Sakura?"

"Hmmm?"

"I wanted to ask something, and I know you get annoyed when other people ask you so if you don't wanna answer then you don't have to."

"It's fine, go ahead."

"Are you planning on moving to whirlpool?" Sakura didn't exactly stiffen but the relaxed pose she had been in while playing with Ino's hair changed and she seemed a bit on edge.

"Like I said if you don't want to answer-" But Sakura cut her off.

"No it's fine," she said with a sigh. "It's just, I don't know." She laid her head back against the back of the couch. "I _want_ to move there and help Naruto and Hinata and all of them. I mean rebuilding a nation would be amazing, especially with how much it would mean to Naruto." She paused and Ino wasn't sure if she was going to continue but she did. "But then you know how complicated it is to become a member of another country. What happened if for some reason down the line I wanted to come home, there'd be so much paperwork and it's not like I could just pack up and go, it would take months for the paperwork to go through. That and in all seriousness at the end of a mission, even if I'd been living somewhere else for weeks or even months, I knew I was going _home._ I've moved out of my parents house but I've always lived in Konoha, and after the war and everything that's happened, even as stupid as it sounds, I'm afraid of being homesick and if I move out there and figure out I made the wrong decision I'll seem like a flake."

"You've really thought about this a lot," Ino said looking in the direction of Sakura's face from her place in Sakura's lap. "Have you ever thought about going on there on a temporary basis, like have Tsunade assign it like a mission and if you decide to stay there you'd only have to put the paperwork in about a month or two before your mission was up and you wouldn't have to leave. And if you decided you didn't like it then you would just return from your mission."

"I've thought of it, but I'm also worried Naruto would take it as a slap in the face if I _don't_ move. I mean he's like my brother, I would do anything for him. It's just so complicated." They sat in silence a few more moments, Ino thought Sakura was done talking and almost didn't hear her as she talked just above a whisper. "And you."

"Me? What about me?"

"Well you have a clan here so it's not like you could ever move and if I moved I wouldn't see you as often," she said, her voice still fairly soft, shy even.

"Sakura," she spoke surprised. She had been wondering about that aspect of their relationship as well, it was part of the reason she even brought up the subject, but she didn't think Sakura had even thought about them when it came to moving. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, Sakura lifted her head back up to meet her gaze. She looked slightly embarrassed, her cheeks a rosy pink, but she kept Ino's gaze.

"I know we haven't been dating long, but I mean, it's still something I think about." Without thinking Ino's lips crashed down on hers and Sakura had to steady herself against the couch as she found herself with arms full of Ino as she crawled up on her lap. Ino had a feeling of deja vu remembering that one time after the movies. Ino ran her hands through Sakura's short hair, her lips darting out between her lips to lick Sakura's asking for entrance for which she readily complied. Her tongue wasted no time in delving into her mouth, their tongues sweeping against each other. Sakura's hands found their way to Ino, one in her hair holding her head in place, the other making it's way to her waist. Ino was wearing a t-shirt and jeans since it was a casual day and the t-shirt itself was short enough it rode up before Sakura even put her hand on her hip, so Sakura's hand caressed bare flesh, her skin was already so hot. Ino's mind was fuzzy and full of the feeling of Sakura. Her hand in her hair, on her hip, her tongue hot in her mouth. She moaned into the kiss as she ground her hips into Sakura's. That seemed to be the wake up call as Sakura quickly pulled her back.

"Sakura," she asked confused. It wasn't like they hadn't made out before, hell they'd gone a lot farther then _that_ before.

"Sorry Ino, but I just think we should slow it down for a day or two. Until you're recovered." That was the fuse that lit the bomb inside of Ino. On the outside the girl looked calm and collected, though annoyed, on the inside she was about to explode.

"God damnit Sakura!" Sakura actually flinched and looked like she wanted to be anywhere but where she was trapped under Ino right now. "I know that I just got out of the hospital, and I know I'm still recovering but I am not a god damn teacup, I don't need to be handled with care! I will _not_ break if you handle me a little roughly!"

"Ino I just-"

"No you know what, you wanna take it slow until I recover. How is this for slow?" With that she all but jumped off the other girls lap, stomped her way to the bedroom, and slammed the door. Sakura sighed letting her head drop back hitting the back of the couch again.

"Damnit!"

AN: Finally a little trouble in paradise, I wanted to through something really physical in because it had been a few chapters. Anyway hope you enjoyed!


	11. Flourishing

AN: Sorry this took so long to update. I had one hell of a busy summer and I was only just recently able to get some time to finish this. I started this chapter right after I finished the last and it's been sitting here half done most of the summer. I am sorry this took so long and hope it was worth the wait. P.S. Lemon scene in this chapter so if you don't like please skip.

Chapter 11: Flourish

Somewhere deep down she knew she was being childish, and she knew she definitely over reacted, but after everything that had happened to her in the last few days could anyone blame Ino for not wanting to wait? She decided to wait on the last date they planned for when she got back from her mission but...she almost didn't make it back from the mission. Was it really so selfish to want to do whatever she could with Sakura while she still could? The war was over but she was still a kunoichi and she could be sent on some A class mission at any time and might not come back, or god forbid Sakura... Sakura was not just a jounin but a medic-nin, trained under the hokage herself. She knew Sakura had not just A class but S class missions under her belt, she was in more danger than her. She shook her head remembering her resolve earlier to have positive thoughts, but the way Sakura was treating her like she was made of glass. Urgg! It was pissing her off to no end. And it's not like Sakura seemed to be resisting because _she_ didn't want to. If she thought Sakura seemed uncomfortable she would have left it at that but...ugh!

As soon as she had slammed the door earlier Sakura had come knocking, asking her to let her in. She'd begged and pleaded but Ino was having none of it. The knocking and talking had stopped about an hour ago and she heard the footsteps walk away and wasn't sure if she was back in the living room or if she had gotten fed up and left completely. Then again she probably hadn't left, she had promised her father she would take care of her, but that only pissed her off more because she didn't know if she was staying for her or for a promise. 'Geez am I sure those were pain killers? I'm having more mood swings than a pregnant woman.' It was then she noticed she smelled something good coming from behind the door, and she figured Sakura must be cooking dinner, he stomach groaned reminding her she hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was now 5:30. 'Damnit so she plans on bribing me out.' If she were a stronger woman she might have resisted but she smelled beef and, dammit if it didn't smell like yakitori, her stomach gurgled again. 'And knowing her it will be delicious.' She sighed in resignation before taking a deep breath and unlocking the door to step out in the hallway. She slowly made her way to the living room which was attached to the dining room and looked over to see the table already set, Sakura's form moving around in the kitchen still.

She made noise to alert Sakura of her presence but said nothing as she took a seat. She picked up a glass of orange juice she guessed Sakura had bought while she was out, at least that was the assumption since she didn't remember having any beef in the fridge either. Sakura came in a minute later smiling like nothing had happened earlier. Ino wasn't sure if she was trying to play it off as nothing or trying to be nice to make it up to her.

"Hey I thought you'd be hungry about now, so I went out and got a few things." Instead of the beef she first smelled though Sakura brought out two plates with salad on them. She even noticed Sakura had went out of her way to get cherry tomatoes, her favorite. She looked over at the pinkette and saw her smile seemed to be pleading. She hadn't come out and said sorry yet but she figured her actions were speaking for her so she would let it be...for now.

"Thanks it looks good," those being the first words she'd spoken since the argument earlier. She really was a lot hungrier then she thought and polished the salad off in a few minutes. She kind of felt like a pig when she noticed Sakura was only half done but got up anyway to bring in the rest of the meal. She had been right, Sakura had made about 14 skewers of beef yakitori and damn did it smell good. She sat the plate with them all in the middle of the table and went back to her salad as Ino grabbed a couple of skewers and began to eat the enticing meat. She tried not to groan at the amazing flavor. She was once again reminded of her first dinner with Sakura all that time ago and remembered her little proposition about marrying her for her food skills. She might still consider proposing the offer again...

"This is really good. What kind of marinade did you use?"

"Hmm," she looked up from her first skewer of beef, she had finally finished the salad and was now working on the beef. "It's a home made recipe, I can give it to you if you like."

"But if you give it to me then you don't have to cook for me," she said and sakura giggled. Ino tried to keep count of the skewers but in the end she thought she might have had more then the original 7 she planned on having, but Sakura once again didn't seem to mind.

"Do you have room for desert?"

"Desert? Sakura admit it, you're just trying to fatten me up so I can't run away," she said teasing but letting her subtly know that she still wanted to talk about earlier.

"Maybe, but I wanted to make sure you got enough to eat, you know how your body's metabolism shoots through the roof when you force rapid cell growth during healing."

"I was Tsunade's student as well you know. I understand." Sakura cleared some of the plates from the table and came back with two bowls of chocolate pudding, though she noticed Sakura's was half the size of hers.

"Now I know you're trying to spoil me, cherry tomatoes and pudding in the same meal." Sakura said nothing as they finished the desert in silence, though the cheery smile on Sakura's face seemed to disappear and she seemed more serious. 'Here it comes,' Ino thought to herself. Sure enough as soon as they were done eating Sakura brought it all out on the table.

"Ino listen, I'm sorry for making you upset earlier, and I'm sorry if I treated you like something fragile. Even though I am sorry I _will not_ budge on this issue. I know you feel fine, and I know you want to get back to life like it was, but the fact that you ate enough servings for two people tonight without trying tells me you're still healing and I don't wanna fuck that up."

"What the hell does sex have to do with hurting me? Hell unless you're into some kinky shit I wasn't even thinking about!" Their voices were starting to rise and even though they were trying to control themselves it wasn't working.

"I-I am not kinky," Sakura shouted indignantly. "And accidents happen all the time, torn rotator cuff, sprained wrist, broken knee cap."

"None of which would kill me," she said exasperated. "Unless you plan on _trying_ to hurt me I doubt it would be anything that wouldn't take a day or two to heal on it's own. Sakura stop playing these games!" By now both kunoichi had risen from their seats and were riled up standing only inches apart yelling now. "I know you're not trying to stop this because _you_ were uncomfortable! Hell with how wet you were earlier did you have to go home for a change of clothes as well!?" Sakura's face was bright red but whether was in anger or embarrassment Ino didn't know, and she couldn't help but smirk at the glare the other girl was giving her. And then everything seemed to happen at once.

In an instant Sakura closed the gap between them and kissed her roughly, it wasn't smooth and passionate but a mashing of mouths and teeth and Ino could barely keep up with her. And then her mouth was gone, but not forgotten.

"I'll show you wet," she all but snarled and then Ino found herself on her back on the kitchen table of all things with Sakura literally climbing on top of her and then Sakura's mouth found hers again. Hands were everywhere, in her hair, on her back, crawling up her thigh, she was stunned and it took her almost a full moment to come back to herself. Her hands instantly went up to tangle in Sakura's short hair as she held her mouth against her own. Her other hand snaked its way between them and fondled her breast through the fabric of her shirt and she felt Sakura moan against her mouth. She was distracted as she felt Sakura kneeling on the table with her knee flush against her throbbing womanhood and knew there was no way that was not on purpose. Her body was aching and she needed something more. Sakura seemed to understand her plight as she pulled away and kissed down her neck nibbling and biting casusing Ino to moan and arch under her minstrations. She felt Sakura's hands slide up her sides under her shirt and then hook her thumbs in the material bringing it up to her neck and pulled away from her minstrations to quickly divest her of the garment leaving Ino in the plain white bra she had put on this morning. Ino looked up a her with heated eyes as Sakura leaned down kissing her neck again, her hands going to Ino's breasts gneading them through the material. Ino kept squirming under her mouth and hands and with her knee pressed against her like that.

"Now who's wet enough to need new clothes," Sakura said jokingly, but there was no bite to it.

"Sakura," she groaned frustrated. Her own hands snaked between them again and grabbed the zipper on Sakura's shirt pulling it down and all but ripping the shirt off the other girl. She was a bit surprised to find Sakura wearing a bright yellow bra instead of her bindings. Sakura's face seemed to get slightly redder but she wasn't positive. She didn't give it another thought though as her hands went once again to her chest and pulled her bra down letting her perky breasts pop out of their confinement for Ino's hands to find them and continue where she left off. Sakura moaned and ground against Ino's thigh that she was straddling. Ino pulled away for a moment to pull herself up so Sakura was sitting on her lap and took one of the pert nippled into her mouth hearing the most delicious moans from Sakura. She felt Sakura's hand in her hair as the girl gripped the golden locks tightly and her moans became soft whispers of her name. Her other hand which was giving attention to Sakura's other breast slipped down to her stomach and then between the two girls rubbing Sakura through her already tight and wet shorts.

"You were saying Sakura," she said stopping for just a moment to tease the other girl but Sakura had no come back as she seemed to be miles away as Ino continued rubbing her slit through her clothes. She was already so wet, there really wasn't any reason for her to even still be wearing the shorts. Her hand left her wet cloth covered area and went back to the top of her shorts and started sliding her hand back down when her wrist was grabbed abruptly and she looked up to see Sakura staring at her.

"Sakura?" She wasn't sure what the other girl wanted. She didn't think she was trying to stop her for the same stupid reason as before, but maybe they were going to fast? The other girl turned her head away looking into something in the other room and mummbled something.

"What? I didn't hear-"

"I said not here," she snapped but judging from the redness on her face it was more from embarrassment then actual anger.

"As you wish," she said helping both her and Sakura off the table. Sakura turned and walked into Ino's bedroom not looking back as the blonde girl just followed with a goofy grin on her face, Ino hit the lights the second she passed the threshhold of the room. As soon as she reached the bedroom Ino grabbed a hold of the shorter girl before she could climb into the bed and kissed along her neck. She felt Sakura shiver under her touch and looked over her shoulder at her flushed body. She reached around to the front of Sakura's bra and unclasped it, noticing it was a front clasp earlier. She dropped the grament to the ground and then reached behind and unclasped her own letting her white one follow the yellow one on the floor. She then reached back around and slowly grabbed the waistband of her shorts and underwear and pulled them both down slowly giving little kisses and nips along her long legs. Ino came back up and went to reach for the apex of her thigh but Sakura stopped her again and turned around trapping Ino's protesting words with a kiss. Her hands them went to Ino's own shorts she had thrown on today and quickly pulled them down to mid thigh where they dropped to thr ground on her own. She stepped back as both girls assessed the other. Ino hadn't seen Sakura like this in almost two years, and even then it was at a public hot spring. Here she was in front of her, bare to her. Her short pink hair was ruffled, her face flushed with both embarrassment and arousal, her soft pink lips slightly open with small pants coming from them. Her perky chest was heaving slightly with each breath, her perk nipples just begging to be tasted, and she could see a slight moisture at the apex of her legs which she was sure matched her own.

"Sakura," she said breaking the other girls stare on her. She then reached out to her, embracing her once again, their lips finding each other in the dark. The two of them slowly made their way to the bed in the corner of the room, Sakura falling on it on her back as her knees hit the side. Ino slowly slid back on top of her, her mouth going for one of her nipples. One of her hands went for the other breast while the other slowly slide down her stomach until she felt slightly damp curls and knew she found what she was looking for. Sakura gasped and arched into the touch as Ino rubbed her finger against the small nub hiding at the top of Sakura's slit.

"I-ino," she moaned under the other girl. Happy to have the other girl so responsive she slide her finger down until she felt her entrance already soaking wet and easily slid a digit inside, pumping it in and out slowly. Sakura was gripping her hair with one hand and the sheets with another. She slowly uncurled and slid another digit in and was rewarded with Sakura's head thrashing back and forth. She was so caught up in what she was doing that the digit probing her own wet area came as a shock. She looked up at Sakura's face seeing the girl's lids only half open with lust and looking down at Ino shyly.

"I also want to...," she said leaving it at that and Ino got the meaning and felt herself flush even more just feeling Sakura's finger probe along her folds until she found her own bundle of nerves couldn't help but grind herself against Sakura's hand in pleasure. She became more distracted and left Sakura's breast to kiss along her neck and mouth as the girls tongues dueled their hands also became tangled in each other as Sakura's digits found their way inside Ino. Ino's hand took on a more rapid pace and she knew she was affecting Sakura as the other girl was having trouble concentrating and every now and then her hand would stop. She couldn't stop the shiver of pleasure as their breasts would casually brush against each other. She knew Sakura was getting near her peak even as she felt herself drawing close. She started pumping harder making her palm slap against Sakura's clit as she felt the other girl's inner walls starting to clamp down on her.

"I-ino," she moaned brokenly and then it was all Sakura could do to physically grasp Ino as her body arched under her and she moaned deep and throaty and so perfectly Ino felt herself drawing nearer to her own end just watching Sakura.

"C-come with me," Sakura moaned and Ino could feel herself building but it wasn't enough.

"I-ino." And just as she felt Sakura begin to break under her she felt an intense amount of pleasure come over her from the tip of Sakura's fingers. 'S-she's using chakra?' Ino's fingers came to a halt as they became trapped by Sakura's walls clamping down on her, so all she could do was continue rubbing her palm against her clit as she rode out the orgasm. Sakura's hand also came to a halt but she continued with a steady stream of chakra as she let Ino ride her hand. Both gasped paralyzed in pleasure as their bodies spasmed and they groaned their lovers' name. Sakura was the first to come down from her high, she lay panting beneath Ino as her body finally released Ino's fingers and then also realized her's were still inside Ino as well and slowly slid them out. Ino rolled to the side and collapsed next to her trying to catch her breath.

"Sakura, what the hell. You use chakra during sex? Maybe you are kinky," she teased and saw Sakura blush a slightly darker color then her already pink face.

"I-I couldn't help it, I wanted us to come together our first time." Ino blinked a bit stunned realizing in that moment that Sakura had been planning this, it wasn't just something she had been wanting to do but also...Sakura...

Ino's lips captured her's again in a passionate kiss that left both breathless but that didn't stop Ino from saying what she did.

"I love you." Sakura who was panting a moment ago now had her breath stuck in her throat as her green eyes met baby blue.

"I-Ino."

"You don't have to say anything," she said cutting her off. "Don't tell me something unless you're sure, but I couldn't help it. I am sure, and I love you."

"I can't say anything Ino, not tonight but-"

"Shh," she said silencing her with a finger to her lips. "I know." She had been hoping against hope maybe Sakura would say those three magic words back to her, but she also knew she might not be ready to say something like that. She sat up to grab the blankets that had bunched up at the end of the bed and wrapped them both up.

"Ino we need to take a shower," Sakura tried to protest but she could hear the tiredness creeping into her voice.

"We will in the morning, come on I need my sleep I _am_ recovering from the hospital you know," she said and was promptly whacked over the head with a pillow and giggled.

"Good night Sakura."

"Night Ino," she mumbled from her side of the bed.

"Honey I know you're worried but I'm sure Sakura is taking good care of Ino, she is a doctor," said Ino's mother, Ayaka said trying to placate her worried husband. "If you want we might be able to drop in tomorrow and see how she is doing. You know I didn't want to say it but you only have yourself to blame."

"Ayaka!"

"It's true! I know you want her to be happy and get married but you can't _force_ love. And if she doesn't marry for love then I don't want her to marry at all." That seemed to put him in his place and he grudgingly took a seat on the couch .

"Don't you think it's strange though? Most of her friends are already in serious relationships. You know how it is after war, that was right around when you and I started seriously dating, and then a year later we were married. Hell there are rumors Hyuuga Neiji might even ask that teammate of his he's been dating to marry him."

"You know those two are a year older then her right? And they've been dating for two years."

"That's not the point!"

"Then please tell me what is the point?"

"The point is she can't find someone to be with if she never goes out and looks, hell most of her time lately has been spent with her friend Sakura."

"Now that's unfair. She and Sakura were very close when they were younger and if not for Sasuke I think they would have continued to stay friends all this time. But she has restarted her friendship with someone she's missed for a long time, I think those types of relationships are just as important if not _more_ important then the ones you're focusing on. Dear please, I am begging you, I want you to talk to someone."

"Talk to someone?!"

"Honey you've been so focused on this since the war ended and it's strained your relationship with your daughter. She doesn't even want to come over anymore because of the way you're treating her. I am _begging_ you please just go talk with someone." He sighed and didn't reply as he left the room but he also didn't say no. She sighed and took the seat he had just been occupying. She was worried for her daughter. She had an inkling of what was _really_ going on and if so, she didn't know how her husband would react. Trying to keep both her most important people happy was like trying to simultaneously diffuse two bombs.

"Ino honey, I'm trying," she whispered to the dark sky just outside the window before getting up to follow her husband to bed.

AN: I tried my damndest on this lemon since this is the first yuri lemon I've ever done. Hope it wasn't too horrible.


End file.
